Hayley Turner lands her second Group 1 race while riding Margot Did in the Nunthorpe Stakes at York
Female jockey Hayley Turner went on to land the Group 1 Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes over at 5 furlongs for 2-year-olds and above on Michael Bell owned 3-year-old bay filly Margot Did on 19 August, 2011 at York.
The success came as a surprise for many, in the recently included leg of British Champions’ Series.
Jockey Hayley Turner, who recently became the second female jockey to win a Group 1 race in Great Britain when she went on to bag the Darley July Cup over Dream Ahead.
Alex Greaves was the first female jockey to win a Group 1 race in Great Britain, 14 years back. She went on to win the York’s Sprint.
Margot Did, who was sent off as a 20 to 1 favourite to win the race, didn’t make the race as easy as it was in the July Cup for jockey Hayley Turner.
On a ground labeled good to soft, Hayley led Margot did close up on the stand’s side. Hayley Turner never held off the filly and the pair never got stuck in the middle of the pack.
It was a smooth break followed by a smooth run. Hayley recognized her cue with a furlong to go, and under string urging Margot Did gave her all as she led and overall leader with 1 furlong to go.
Hayley Turner fended off challenges left, right and centre before pulling the filly on the inside in the final furlong and kept on going strongly and the pair never looked back until they hit the wire ¾ of a length ahead of Hamish McGonagall.
Prohibit, Kingsgate Native and Wizz Kid filled up the first five positions respectively in a field of 15 runners.
The daughter of Exceed and Excel, out of Special Dancer by Shareef Dancer, Margot Did has had an excellent season so far with 3 wins out of 5 starts, and on the other two occasions the filly wound up fourth on both occasions.
This time around she always had the measure of Hamish McGonagall as she pulled clear of the pack and won an all important Group 1 race for his trainer Michael Bell.
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