Hayley Turner to retire from racing
Top British female Flat jockey Hayley Turner is to retire at the end of the season.
Hayley has been race-riding for 15 years and confirmed the news today (Tuesday, 1 September).
As one of the most successful female jockeys of all time, Hayley secured 100 wins in 2008, the first lady rider to achieve the century.
In 2011 she became the only female jockey to ride two Group Ones in the same season with Margot Did and Dream Ahead.
“I have loved every second of my career as a jockey and I am incredibly grateful to all those that have supported me over the years especially my agent, Guy Jewell, Michael Bell, Conor Dore and James Fanshawe,” said Hayley.
“I am really excited to be starting a new chapter in my life and am very much looking forward to the new challenges ahead. I will continue to stay as focused as ever on my riding until the end of this season and will be hoping to ride as many winners as possible until then.”
Hayley, who is from Nottingham originally, started off in Pony Club and showjumping. She made her racing debut in March 2000 at Southwell and recorded her first winner at Pontefract aboard Generate.
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In 2005 Hayley Turner joined the yard of Derby-winning trainer and former H&H columnist Michael Bell as an apprentice. The same year she rode 44 winners and was named champion apprentice.
Hayley has had many numerous top-level successes over the years. Her most notable wins include her victory in the Nunthorpe Stakes at York, Beverley D. Stakes at Arlington Park and July Cup on Dream Ahead at her home track at Newmarket.
She revealed on At The Races today (Tuesday 1 September) that she was “ready to leave on a high” but that she had lost her confidence following a fall on Seal Of Approval at Doncaster in 2013 which left her with back and pelvic injuries.
“I get plenty of rides and pay my mortgage, but being a jockey isn’t just a job — it’s lifestyle and it’s difficult to have a work-life balance,” she told the channel.
“I’ve done an awful lot over the past 15 years and really enjoyed it, but I feel ready to start something new. To get my teeth stuck into something else.”
She now looks set to join the At The Races team.
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A graduate of Exeter University, Amy joined our news team from Redpin Publishing in 2008 as news writer. She was promoted to deputy news editor in May 2013 and became news editor in April 2015. She left Horse & Hound in March 2016 to take up an editorial position in Dubai.