3 minute read
QUEENS OF THE TURF
THE HISTORY OF FEMALE JOCKEYS BREAKING BARRIERS IN BRITISH RACING
1987 - Gay Kelleway becomes the first female jockey to win at Royal Ascot onboard Sprowston Boy in the Queen Alexandra Stakes.
Gay Kelleway on Sprowston Boy: “I said to my dad “why don’t you put Lester Piggott on, he’s there, he hasn’t got a ride in the race!” To be fair to the owners, they actually wanted me to ride their horse, which was lovely, because I had won on him so many times. I can remember the day like yesterday. I punched the air, I thought “I’ve done something with my riding career”, that was such an achievement, whether it be for women, or for myself.”
1997 - Alex Greaves claims the first British Group 1 win for a female jockey as Ya Malak dead-heats with Coastal Bluff in the Nunthorpe Stakes.
2005 - Hayley Turner becomes the first woman to be crowned Britain’s champion apprentice.
2006 - Turner and Emma-Jayne Wilson make history as the first female jockeys in the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup.
2011 - Turner wins the July Cup on Dream Ahead, becoming the first female jockey to win a domestic Group 1 outright.
2015 - The Ladies team win the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup for the first time, with Sammy Jo Bell winning the Alistair Haggis Silver Saddle.
2019 - Turner wins the Sandringham Stakes on Thanks Be, becoming the first female jockey to win at Royal Ascot since Kelleway.
Hayley Turner on Thanks Be: “My first Royal Ascot winner was my favourite because it was an outsider, a huge field, we thought we had a chance. It was the first since Gay, and selfishly, if it had been one of the other girls I’d have been really disappointed!”
2020 - Hollie Doyle rides Glen Shiel to Group 1 victory in the QIPCO British Champions Sprint on QIPCO British Champions Day.
Hollie Doyle on Glen Shiel: “It was a really tight photo finish, I didn’t know if I had won or not, I remember pulling up and a few of the lads were saying ‘well done Hols!’ I was in denial! I remember when they called out ‘Glen Shiel’ it was a crazy feeling, I nearly started crying!”
2023 - Doyle becomes the first female Group 1 winning jockey at Royal Ascot onboard Bradsell in the King’s Stand Stakes.
Hollie Doyle on Bradsell: “He loves it here at Ascot, he won here as a two-year-old. He just travelled so amazingly. I asked him the question a long way out and he did it well. He’s such a talented horse. When you get a horse that loves it here, they are so effective on this track.”
