Hayley Turner became the first female jockey to ride an outright Group 1 race winner in Britain when partnering last year’s joint top-rated juvenile, Dream Ahead, to win the Darley July Cup at Newmarket on Saturday 9 July, the fourth race in the QIPCO British Champions Series Sprint division.
Alex Greaves had dead-heated for first place in the 1997 Nunthorpe Stakes (the next sprint race in the Series), but until yesterday, she was the only other female rider to have ever tasted victory at the highest level of Flat racing in the UK.
Hayley now joins 14 other jockeys to have ridden a winner in the inaugural QIPCO British Champions Series, which links together Britain’s top Flat races.
Leading the ‘Jockey of the Series’ table is Tom Queally, courtesy of his third victory Group 1 victory of the year aboard Timepiece in yesterday’s Etihad Airways Falmouth Stakes. He is one ahead of Richard Hughes and Frankie Dettori.
Aidan O’Brien retains his lead in the ‘Trainer of the Series’ table courtesy of his three winners and five second places, with Henry Cecil, trainer of Timepiece, in second place on three winners and one second.
TRAINER OF THE SERIES (AFTER 18 RACES)
TRAINER – WINS – 2nds – 3rds
1 Aidan O’Brien – 3 – 5 – 0
2 Henry Cecil – 3 – 1 – 0
3 Richard Hannon – 2 – 2 – 0
4 Mahmood Al Zarooni – 2 – 1 – 0
5 John Gosden – 1 – 0 – 2
6(e) Robert Cowell – 1 – 0 – 1
6(e) Andre Fabre – 1 – 0 – 1
6(e) David Simcock – 1 – 0 – 1
9(e) William Haggas – 1 – 0 – 0
9(e) Edward Lynam – 1 – 0 – 0
9(e) Robert Collet – 1 – 0 – 0
9(e) James Fanshawe – 1 – 0 – 0
JOCKEY OF THE SERIES (AFTER 18 RACES)
JOCKEY – WINS – 2nds – 3rds
1 Tom Queally – 3 – 1 – 0
2 Richard Hughes – 2 – 1 – 1
3 Frankie Dettori – 2 – 0 – 0
4 Ryan Moore – 1 – 4 – 2
5 Mickael Barzalona – 1 – 1 – 0
6(e) William Buick – 1 – 0 – 1
6(e) Jim Crowley – 1 – 0 – 1
6(e) Jamie Spencer – 1 – 0 – 1
9(e) Keagan Latham – 1 – 0 – 0
9(e) Johnny Murtagh – 1 – 0 – 0
9(e) Gerald Mosse – 1 – 0 – 0
9(e) Pat Cosgrave – 1 – 0 – 0
9(e) Seamie Heffernan – 1 – 0 – 0
9(e) Hayley Turner – 1 – 0 – 0
Both championships are decided on the number of winners ridden/trained across the 35 race series. In the event of a tie, the number of seconds and thirds (and, if necessary, lower placings) will be taken into account. The winners will be presented with a specially commissioned trophy on QIPCO British Champions at Ascot on Saturday 15 October and their nominated charity will receive a cheque for £25,000.
The upcoming QIPCO British Champions Series races are:
King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes (sponsored by Betfair) (1½m, 3yo+), Ascot, Saturday 23 July (MIDDLE DISTANCE)
QIPCO Sussex Stakes (1m, 3yo+), Goodwood, Wednesday 27 July (MILE)
Artemis Goodwood Cup (2m, 3yo+), Goodwood, Thursday 28 July (LONG DISTANCE)
Nassau Stakes (1¼m, 3yo+ fillies & mares), Goodwood, Saturday 30 July (FILLIES & MARES)
Allison is the Publisher of Eclipse Magazine. She loves going to the Races and is learning to bet (despite being officially the worst bettor in the History of the Universe), there’s a lot more to learn…