GORDON JOY AS SHE JOINS 100 CLUB

JOSEPHINE GORDON has expressed her delight at emulating her idol Hayley Turner by riding 100 winners in a calendar year after Thunderbolt Rocks triumphed at Wolverhampton on Saturday.

Gordon, 24, is the fastest British female jockey to three figures. When Turner achieved her one and only century, in 2008, it was nailbitingly clinched at the same Midlands venue on December 30.

Gordon, whose mounts have earned more than £1.2million, reached the landmark in 835 rides, 154 fewer than Turner and 35 days quicker. Gordon said: ‘In 2008, when Hayley got 100 winners, I was in school and looking up to Hayley thinking: “Wow that’s amazing”. I would never have expected to then go on and hit those heights.

‘Hayley was my idol when I was a kid, so I’m very happy to emulate her and reach these goals that I’ve set myself.’

Gordon became only the third female jockey to be crowned champion apprentice in 2016 when she rode 87 winners. With that achievement, she again emulated Turner (2005) and also Amy Ryan (2012).

The Devon-born Gordon took a significant step in her career this year when signing to ride for Newmarket trainer Hugo Palmer, a move that improved the quality of her mounts.

Gordon landed her first group race on Palmer-trained Koropick in the Group Three Chipchase Stakes at Newcastle in July. She also won the Group Three Nayef Stakes at Ascot in September on Palmer-trained Apphia.

Other highlights include having her first ride at Royal Ascot.

The jockey said: ‘I set myself a few targets at the start of the year and to reach all of them, I’m just pinching myself really.

‘In the first year out of your claim, you don’t know how it’s going to go, but all of the trainers have kept on backing me, so to reach 100 winners feels incredible.’

TODAY’S racing at Ayr has been abandoned because of a waterlogged track.