Jockey following in the footsteps of Hayley Turner gets big break at ITV meeting

Taryn Langley could be the secret ingredient that can deliver Northumberland Plate glory for Duke Of Oxford today. The 20-year-old, an apprentice for only 14 months, gets her first chance in front of the ITV cameras and she would like to make it count.

Langley, who has ridden 17 winners including ten this year, has had no previous connection to the Michael Bell stable. But the trainer who helped propel Hayley Turner into the limelight has given her the responsibility of turning last year’s third place in the ‘Pitmens’ Derby’ into something even better.

READ MORE: Three jockeys rushed to hospital and one horse fatally injured in horror incident

READ MORE: Royal Ascot winner set to miss Classic date after getting 14 day whip ban and hefty fine

“My apprentice Joe Bradnam was going to ride but he couldn’t do the weight,” explains Bell. “Taryn is riding plenty of winners and is claiming 7lb. Duke Of Oxford is a regular in these races. It’s not going to be easy off a mark of 95 but the 7lb claim should make him very competitive.”

Langley secured her biggest win so far on Tides Of War in a valuable 2m handicap at Lingfield on Good Friday for her boss David Simcock, the other trainer who helped the legendary Turner, who announced her retirement in April, achieve Group 1 honours. It is Turner, rider of more than 1,000 winners, who has made the pathway along which Langley hopes to progress.

“Hayley was always very supportive towards me and never too busy to sit down and look at a race with me," says Taryn. "She has always been an influence into which direction I want to push my career. Hayley was the first female to start pushing the boundaries for us fellow girls coming through behind her."

She continues, "This will be the first time Michael Bell has put me up. It’s great that he has decided to use me and has the faith to put me up on a horse like Duke Of Oxford. I had been booked to go to Windsor for my boss David Simcock but he said this was too good an opportunity to refuse. The horse walked past me the other morning and looked as fit as a flea, an absolute picture.”

Langley, originally from the Cotswolds, showjumped as a child and was a late convert to racehorses. She rode as an amateur before taking out her apprentice licence with Richard Hughes, then late last year moved to Newmarket and secured a job with Simcock, who with Bell provided Turner with her Group 1 successes.

“It’s opened up a lot more contacts for me,” she says. “I wouldn’t have been as busy as I have without David Simcock encouraging me to ride out at other yards.”

With business picking up Langley hopes to reach a point where she can mount a challenge on next year’s apprentice championship.

“It’s never going to be a smooth ride but I feel I could put myself in the running,” she says.

The immediate priority is to show what she can do in Newcastle’s most famous Flat race.

“I’ll be excited going to bed Friday and waking up Saturday morning,” she admits. “There will inevitably be a few nerves.

“It’s great when someone thinks I can have the chance to prove I can ride well. It will be nice to be on the main stage on a Saturday on ITV. Hopefully it can open more doors.”