Hayley Turner has announced she has quit her trailblazing riding career to start a family. The 42-year-old made her debut in 2000 and went on to become the winning-most female jockey in British racing. With a record of 1,022 British she leads Hollie Doyle, who recently passed the 1,000 winner mark, by 20.
She last rode on April 2 when scoring on her final mount, the Charlie Johnston-trained Spirit Of Jura, at Southwell and on Saturday - with all eyes on jumps racing thanks to the Grand National - revealed she was retiring. Releasing a statement on X, she said: “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.
“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.
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“I am looking forward to my next life chapter but will be focusing on the baby in the short term.”
Turner recorded her first win on Generate at Pontefract on June 4, 2000. Among her other achievements, she became the first woman to ride 100 Flat winners in a calendar year and the first woman to win a Group 1 race outright, one of three successes obtained at the highest level.
She was joint champion apprentice in 2005, rode her first Group 1 winners in 2011 when she landed the July Cup on Dream Ahead and Nunthorpe Stakes on Margot Did.
She previously retired for a briefly period in 2015, becoming an Racing regular, but made a comeback three years later, since riding four winners, paving the way for other female jockeys like Hollie Doyle.
“When I gave up I was finding it so tough,” she told Racing last year. “I wasn’t getting any rides.
“I certainly think riding 1,000 winners is something the other girls will be able to do. Hollie is not far behind me, so my record will get passed in no time the way the girls are riding. I’ve done my bit but they have played their part too."
