Hayley Turner, Britain's most successful female jockey, received a standing ovation from her fellow members of the weighing-room when becoming the first woman in Europe to ride 1,000 winners.
Turner, 40, reached the notable landmark at Chelmsford City on Tuesday evening aboard Tradesman (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) for Khalifa Dasmal and David Simcock. The same owner-and-trainer combination was responsible for Turner's first Group 1 win aboard Dream Ahead in the July Cup of 2011.
Back in 2008, Turner also became the first female jockey in Britain to ride 100 winners in a year. She retired from race-riding in 2015 and turned her attention to broadcasting. After reappearing in August 2016 to captain the winning all-female team in the Shergar Cup at Ascot, she returned to the saddle full time in 2018.
“I did drag it out a little bit but I got there eventually,” said Turner on Racing TV. “It's taken me plenty of time, and it's nice to see the girls coming through behind me that are up and coming, the likes of Hollie [Doyle], Saffie [Osborne], Nicola [Currie] and Josephine [Gordon] all riding so well every day. Although it's taken me 20 years to do it, hopefully it will take them half the time.”
She added, “Unfortunately Khalifa Dasmal is not here but hopefully he is watching at home. I've had a lot of fun on his horses over the years.”
A month after her breakthrough success on Dream Ahead, Turner landed her second Group 1 victory in the Nunthorpe S. on Margot Did (GB) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}) for her former boss Michael Bell. She also won the GI Beverly D S. for Simcock with I'm A Dreamer (Ire) (Noverre).
She said, “It was particularly nice to have a Group 1 winner for Michael Bell with Margot Did in the Nunthorpe as he was really responsible for getting my career going as an apprentice. He put his neck on the line when girls weren't that popular.
“It feels like a bit of a relief now that I've done it. I'm chuffed.”
In 2016, Turner received an OBE from Queen Elizabeth II for services to horseracing.
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