Dubai: Hayley Turner, Britain’s most successful lady jockey, hinted at having some ‘fun’ after announcing that she will retire from the sport at the end of the season.
“It’s great to have such a positive response from u all. Thanks for the encouragement. The next couple of months are going to be fun,” Turner, 32, teased on her twitter handle @hayleyturner123
Turner, whose biggest success came aboard Emirati businessman Khalifa Bin Dasmal’s Dream Ahead in the Group 1 July Cup at Newmarket in 2011, said she had ‘loved every second’ of her career as a jockey’ and felt that it ‘is the right time.’
“I’ve made the decision myself,” Turner told At The Races, who she is expected to be working with in the future.
“I’ve done an awful lot over the last the last 15 years and I just feel ready to get my teeth stuck into something new. I’m particularly pleased with how this season has gone. Last season was a steady one after my injury, it took longer to get going, but this year I feel back to my best and ready to leave on a high.
“Being a jockey isn’t just a job, it’s a lifestyle. It’s difficult to balance work and life. Hopefully the last ride will be at Doncaster on the last day of the season.”
Most recently Turner made racing history when she teamed up with Canadian Emma-Jayne Wilson and Ireland’s Sammy Jo Bel to win the Shergar Cup jockey’s competition for the Girls Team, for the first time.
