Hayley Turner - 2nd ever female G1 winning Jockey in Britain

Nulty

I thought about posting this story for a while and decided I'm adequately indisposed now to do it.

Wondering how you ladies feel about this story. G1 / Group1 races are the highest rank of race in Britain and is basically made up of Premiership horses. Does it make a difference to you? Are you interested, happy, indifferent or even bothered? Its been a long time between drinks for female jockeys since Alex Greaves won a G1 at Royal Ascot almost 15 years ago but that was a dead heat (tie).

The good news is that the sport is changing and women jockeys are becoming much more prevalent in both jumps and on the flat. Hayley Turner has put down a marker though and as much of the talk of the result was about Turner as it was about the horse.

Turner's real prize is defying prejudices

By Richard Forristal
Monday July 11 2011

In the aftermath of her groundbreaking July Cup triumph on Dream Ahead on Saturday, Hayley Turner had the media eating out of her hands.

"I know a lot of trainers were moaning about all the big meetings on one day but it has played into my hands. All the jockeys are taken, so they got left with me!" she said.

The above contribution was a typically self-effacing quip from a rider who frequently displays an assured sense of self-awareness and humility rarely matched by her Flat counterparts.

Given the prejudices she would have had to endure before becoming the first female jockey ever to win a Group One outright in Ireland or England, that she exhibits such a distinct lack of arrogance is no surprise.

Turner, more than anyone, knows all too well that there is an element of truth in her success being one for circumstance and opportunity rather than outright deservedness -- which isn't to say she isn't deserving.

Girls simply don't get the chances at the highest level on the Flat. Since Alex Greaves shared the Nunthorpe honours on Ya Malak (trained by her husband Dandy Nicholls) 14 years ago, you'd struggle to name a single female rider before Turner that had even ridden in a Group One on these islands.

Turner herself had only done so once previously, when unplaced in the Nassau Stakes at Goodwood a year ago on the 25/1 shot Barshiba. Weeks earlier, the same horse had carried her to her sole pattern race triumph in the Group Two Lancashire Oaks.

Of course, it's not just because she is a girl. There are plenty of riders in the same bracket as Turner that don't ever win a Group race or ride in a Group One, but you are even further down the food chain if you are a member of the fairer sex.

Group One races are often decided by millimetres, and the strength of the jockey matters when the whips are up. Remember, in the aftermath of the nine-day ban that he received for galvanising Rewilding at So You Think's expense at Ascot, Frankie Dettori reasoned: "We are talking huge valuations of future stallions in a multi-million-pound industry.

"What would have happened if I had got beat on Rewilding and come back and said, sir, if I'd given him one more I would have won?"

When the margins are so tight, it often comes down to physical strength, and no one wants an unequal match. It is a biology issue, not a gender one.

Hayley Turner's biggest triumph, then, wasn't what she did in the 3.35 at Newmarket on Saturday. In fact, given Dream Ahead's utter superiority, that was the easy part.

The real measure of her achievement is that she had won the right to be there at all.

http://www.independent.ie/sport/horse-racing/turners-real-prize-is-defying-prejudices-2817968.html

Heres the race in full (1 minute long)

(She's the one in the pink, behind the yellow one on the rail after about 20 seconds)

enda1

I always wondered why more women weren't jockeys when it seems one sport where women can definitely compete head-to-head against men.

ppink

I would have thought there are not many women who can do weights of 8st6 and have the strength to manage a thoroughbred colt.
The female jockeys I have see have always been over fences.
Maybe that is my misconception?

Does it bother me......no not really. I dont really care if there are male dominated environments.
Good luck to Hayley though:)

Wolfe Tone

Probably the only sport women can compete fairly with men in, I'm a big fan of Nina Carberry.


You dont need huge strength to manage a horse btw.

Bluetonic

Firstly congrats to Hayley, she didn't have much to do, basically a steering job.

Wolfe Tone wrote: »

You dont need huge strength to manage a horse btw.

Secondly, jockeys need vast amounts of upper body strength to control and win on a race horse which is why there are very few female jockeys, they just don't have it. Hayley, Nina, Katie, Kate etc.., are exceptions but generally win when they are on the better horse in a race. Very few female jockeys win on a horse which would not be one of the better horses in a race. Draw your own conclusions from that.

To control and win on a racehorse you need huge upper body strength.

To manage a horse you may not need huge strength.

There is a vast difference.