Hayley Turner Brings Curtain Down on Groundbreaking Career in the Saddle

[Wandering Eyes]

Multiple Group 1-winning jockey Hayley Turner announced in a statement on Saturday that she is retiring from the saddle with immediate effect as she prepares to welcome her first baby in October.

“I have decided to retire from being a jockey following my winner at Southwell last week especially as I had my first ride at the racecourse on 27 March, 2000,” said Turner.

“I am very excited to also announce that I am having a baby in October, all being well, which I have been planning for the last two years. My family and I are all very excited.

“I would like to thank everyone that has supported me over the years especially Michael Bell, David Simcock, Andrew Balding and Harry Eustace. I would also like to thank my riding agent, Guy Jewell, who has been my agent for the majority of my career.

“I am looking forward to my next life chapter but will be focusing on the baby in the short term.”

Turner briefly 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.

In 2023, she became the first woman in Europe to ride 1,000 winners, a tally which featured three triumphs at the top level. After making the breakthrough aboard Dream Ahead in the 2011 July Cup, she then teamed up with Margot Did (GB) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}) to win the Nunthorpe Stakes later that year, before partnering I'm A Dreamer (Ire) (Noverre) to victory in the 2012 Beverly D. Stakes.

Another notable milestone in Turner's career had come in 2008 when she became the first woman in Europe to ride 100 winners on the Flat in a calendar year. Her final full season in the saddle in 2024 yielded 31 winners, whilst her final success aboard Spirit Of Jura (GB) (Masar {Ire}) at Southwell on Wednesday was her tenth of the current campaign.

Bell, who enjoyed a successful association with Turner, most notably with the aforementioned Margot Did, was among those to pass on his well wishes to the rider as he said, “It makes me very happy to hear her great news. She's such a lovely, kind, loving person and I'm delighted for her that she's going to be a mummy.

“We've had some great days together, Margot Did winning the Nunthorpe being one of them. But I just remember her riding as a 7lb apprentice when she had barely had a winner and going up against senior jockeys and big names in a finish, and I can't remember if she won or not, but I always remember thinking 'my god, you can ride'.”

He added, “She was always on time and always smart and just a very good role model for anyone, regardless of sex, who wanted to get on well as a jockey. A lot of thanks go to my owners who backed my decision to support her and she held the job down very well. Obviously, she got derailed by a few nasty tumbles, but it doesn't take away the six, seven, eight great years we had together.”

Simcock, who oversaw the careers of both Dream Ahead and I'm A Dreamer, described Turner as “a proper professional” as he paid his own tribute.

“Working with Hayley has been a great pleasure,” said the Newmarket trainer. “She's a proper professional and she's a great rider who is good at her job and never let me down, but most importantly she's just a really nice person. I'm delighted for her and she retires with nothing to prove. She's done everything she can do and now it's on to the next step of having a family.

“We were lucky enough to have some brilliant days, Dream Ahead being one and I'm A Dreamer the other, but just working with her day-in, day-out and enjoying those other winners together that are just as important has been great as well.”

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