Hayley Turner

What a day Tuesday turned out to be.

It didn’t start too well as I got beaten on two hot favourites, and I hold my hands up, in saying that that ride I gave Fortieth And Fifth wasn’t my best. He met a lot of trouble in running, and we couldn’t find a way out.

The day ended really brightly though for me, as I won Sportswoman of the Year at the Glamour Awards. To receive the award from
Freddie Flintoff and finish in front of the likes of Rebecca Adlington and Jessica Ennis was something else, and I am still not quite sure how it happened!

If I wasn’t fully appreciative of just how big the awards are before the event, then I certainly was afterwards, with the likes of Kylie Minogue, Eva Longoria, Jessie J, Kelly Rowland Jessica Alba, Holly Willoughby and Amanda Holden– some of the most iconic women around – all there.

I never thought I would meet someone like Kylie – someone I grew up listening to – but my sister certainly wasn’t shell-shocked as she asked her whether she’d ever considered becoming a jockey!

 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