HAYLEY Turner brought the curtain down on her riding career in the unlikely setting of Turffontein in South Africa on Saturday. She captained an international team of riders in a challenge with some of the best local jockeys, but the visitors failed to capture the series.

Turner made a big impression as captain of the international team and rode a winner on her final day in the saddle. Her teammates included Pat Cosgrave representing Ireland.

With just 17 points separating the teams after the first leg at Fairview in Port Elizabeth last Friday, hopes were high going into the second day of racing. However the local jockeys had the better of the draw for horses and Piere Strydom, Gavin Lerena and Anthony Delpech all partnered winners.

Turner was third on her only ride in the first leg but she went two better on Monday and landed a hotly contested nine-furlong handicap on Dream Galaxy.

Cosgrove, who finished second on his only ride on Saturday, had ridden a winner the previous day on Cape Flyaway. Both Cosgrave’s and Turner’s winners started at 12/1.

Turner enjoyed a number of milestones in her career, among them being the first female to be champion apprentice in 2005 and five years later becoming the first woman to ride 100 winners in a season.

She won two Group 1 races in England with Margot Did in the Nunthorpe Stakes and Dream Ahead in the July Cup, both in 2011, and the following year rode I’m A Dreamer to victory in a Grade 1 in the USA.