Turner denies Queen to end 32-year drought for women jockeys at Royal Ascot

Hayley Turner shared top billing with superstar Frankie Dettori at Royal Ascot on Friday as she became only the second female jockey to ride a winner at the meeting.

The 36-year-old Englishwoman -- who came out of retirement last year -- gave a terrific ride to 33/1 shot Thank Be to land the Sandringham Handicap and emulate Gaye Kelleway's feat in 1987.

Her moment of glory denied Queen Elizabeth II a winner as the monarch's runner Magnetic Charm finished second, edged out by just a neck.

"The girls' changing rooms are full now -- and it was only a matter of time," said Turner, who also became the first woman to ride over 100 winners in a season in 2008.

"It is certainly overdue. If you look at this in 10 years' time I bet a lot more girls have done it."

Dettori's dream meeting continued as he recorded his seventh victory of the week and in a rare race he had yet to win -- the Group One Commonwealth Cup on Advertise.

"It's been an unbelievable week," said Dettori.

For winning trainer Martyn Meade, it was a princely reward for having stopped running his horses for four weeks after a series of poor results -- including Advertises's dreadful run in the 2000 Guineas -- and only bringing them back to the track a fortnight ago.

"It shows we are back," said Meade.

"Coming into today we had absolutely nil confidence, you never know despite how well they are working at home."

Francis-Henri Graffard is the trainer to watch with the fillies, having won the French Oaks (Prix de Diane) on Sunday, and he lifted the gloom over the French runners this week with a stunning win for Watch Me in the other Group One race of the day -- the Coronation Stakes.

She made her 20/1 price look ridiculous as she swept to the front under Pierre-Charles Boudot in the finishing straight and made dual 1000 Guineas winner Hermosa look very ordinary.

- 'Repay the loyalty' -

Japan ran out an impressive winner of the King Edward VII Stakes -- seen as a consolation prize for horses who fell short in the Epsom Derby -- coming home clear under Ryan Moore.

The Aidan O'Brien-trained runner -- third in the Derby despite his jockey dropping his whip -- drifted from the outside across to the rails but once there coasted to victory ahead of Bangkok, who put his disappointing run in the Derby behind him.

"This is a very smart horse," said O'Brien.

"He's coming forward lovely, and we couldn't be happier. He's been progressing all the time."

The opening race, the Albany Stakes, went to the favourite Daahyeh, ridden by youngster David Egan.

Daahyeh's win franked the form that had seen the filly she beat in her previous race, Raffle Prize, collect the Queen Mary Stakes on Wednesday.

Egan -- who turned 20 only a few days ago -- was so overcome by his first-ever winner at the meeting he burst into tears on the return to the winners' enclosure.

"I'm just very thankful to Mr Varian and connections for keeping me on a nice filly like this," he told ITV Racing.

"For someone so young, coming into ride a favourite at Royal Ascot, it's a big deal -- and I'm thankful I could repay the loyalty."

? 2019 AFP