Hayley Turner to be part of Channel 4 Racing team at Chester

Leading female jockey Hayley Turner will be back at the racecourse today (Wednesday 6 May) — as part of Channel 4 Racing’s team.

Hayley will be working alongside Jim McGrath and John Francome in her new role as paddock-side commentator during the 3-day Chester May meeting — which starts today.

Denise Large, programme director of Channel 4 Racing, said: “We value Hayley’s professional views on horses and are very pleased to have her on board and part of the team for the three-day Chester meeting.”

Earlier this week Hayley announced she will be lodging an appeal against her one year suspension from racing.

Last month she was stood down for a year by the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) after a fall at Newmarket gallops on 3 March left her with head injuries and memory loss.

But she has recovered well saying: ““I’m feeling fine — I can’t see or feel my injuries so it’s very frustrating”.

Doctors have now permitted her to ride work and she has been riding out for the past two weeks for Newmarket trainer and H&H columnist Michael Bell.

“She’s incredibly frustrated as she feels so well — she’s determined to ride as soon as she’s given the all clear,” he said.

She will make her appeal to a medical panel chaired by Prof David Silk alongside a member of the licensing committee and an independent medical expert.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now