Hayley Turner

 First of all I want to congratulate Mattie Batchelor for his Hennessy success on Carruthers at the weekend. Mattie is a character and a very popular jockey. I believe everyone was delighted with that result.

So last night I attended The Jaguar Academy of Sport Awards, I had been nominated for “Most inspirational Sports Woman of the Year” and was honestly not expecting it when I won.

Thanks to Jaguar for an amazing evening at The Savoy, I met the majority of the England Cricket team, Ian Botham presented my award. I was extremely nervous when I got up to collect it, James Corden was in top form, I think I took his banter quite well, it’s something I’m use to, I get a lot of it from the jockeys in the weighing room.

I would like to thank everyone who has supported me this year particularly Michael Bell who has played a massive part getting me to where I am now, also to my agent Guy Jewell, Guy is looking forward to my return, his number 1 George Baker is off through injury so his work load has lightened.

The Jaguar Academy is fantastic for British Sport aiming to inspire the next generation, they have an impressive list of patrons and ambassadors and it’s exciting that racing is now involved.

I was lucky enough to get invited to the Peter O’Sullevan Annual Award Lunch, the award was won by JP McManus who is the leading jumps trainer, and you could tell that it meant a huge amount to himself and his family, racing is very lucky to have him.

There was a good bunch on the table including Peter O’Sullevan himself and thankfully this time none of my neighbours fell asleep!

I seem to be spending a lot of time at Awards events, unsuccessfully might I add! This weekend I’m attending Jaguar Academy of Sports Awards, I have been nominated for the most Inspiration Sports Woman, so fingers crossed for me please.

I have been continuing to ride out in the mornings, the picture is of Margot Did and Wigmore Hall earlier today, they are fresh and well, both are heading to the Sunshine in Dubai. I’m busy tomorrow morning, I’ll be riding work for Amy Weaver, Michael Bell and Conor Dore.

The weight is good, weirdly I’m lighter than when I was riding, I think it’s because I have cut out the chocolate and Redbull, it’s really difficult to eat healthily when you’re constantly on the go, having Coeliac disease doesn’t help because I can’t just grab a sandwich. The food provided at the Racecourse is moderate but I won’t start ranting about that, Yet!

On route to Newbury to hook up with the Racing UK team, I’ll be back on Monday to let you know how the weekend went.

I’ve had a very steady weekend, I think getting up so early has wiped me out. I slept in on Thursday morning, that never happens! I woke up to a text from Michael Bell ” WHERE ARE YOU? ” First time in 10 years!

I sat at home on Saturday to watch Kauto Star, I got goose bumps, what an absoute legend. I thought Channel 4 Racing did a brilliant job to transfer the atmosphere at Haydock Park in to my living room. Ruby’s ride was poetry in motion, and well done to Paul Nicholls who said it was the best day in racing he’d ever had, Statment!!!

Well Done to the Ed Dunlop team, two massive displays from there international runners, Red Cadeaux who just missed out in the Melbourne Cup and the super star filly Snow Fairy winning the Japan Cup. My friend Lynsey Hanna who was once apprentice to David Barron travels her and clearly deserves a lot of credit for Snow Fairy’s success.

Im going to spend the next couple of weeks ripping it up in the Gym, my ankle has ached a little from riding out but that is to be expected, still pretty unfit but im working on it!

 
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 As Black Tie events go The Cartier Awards is by far the best one. I was slightly worried I’d get a bad draw, a couple of years ago I was seated on the press table, I spent the evening worrying that I’d say the wrong thing, I couldn’t even get stuck in to the wine.

This year was a different story all together, I was on Harry Herbert’s table who host’s the evening, I’m amazed how he gets up there scriptless, he was thoroughly entertaining.

I was lucky enough to get seated next to Former Featherweight Champion Barry McGuigan who was great fun thankfully as the chap seated to my left had fallen asleep!! he gave me some really good advise about my fitness training,  Edwin Moses, Olympic 400-meter hurdler was also on our table although I wasn’t seated close enough to have a good chat with him.

Well Done Dream Ahead and the team who won sprinter of the year, Im so lucky to have been a part of that. Obviously Frankel received Horse of the Year, the very popular Henry Cecil was present who was knighted earlier that day, and the award of Merit was collected by trainer Barry Hills who has been such a huge part of racing for many years.

I love the Cartier Awards as its an evening just for the horses, I get goose bumps watching the highlights of the year back, I feel lucky to have been there on an evening that can only be described as Perfect.

The Racing Post have some of the results up on their site. Click Here to have a look

“Hayley Turner has paid tribute to Dream Ahead, the sprinter who gave her a historic Group One success in the July Cup. Turner was speaking following the announcement that the horse has been retired to stud.”

This is a clipping from Octobers Sports News Ireland, to read the full article Click Here