Dubai: The spotlight is on women at this year's Dubai World Cup meeting with two star female jockeys creating a first at the world's richest meeting.
While Canada's Chantal Sutherland rides in the Group One $10 million (Dh36.7 million) Dubai World Cup on American raider Game On Dude, Britain's Hayley Turner makes an earlier debut in the Group One Al Quoz Sprint.
Their appearances will give a huge boost to female jockeys around the world.
While the spotlight will be on Sutherland and Game On Dude in the big race of the night, Turner, who won two Group One races and shot to fame last year, will become the first female jockey to don the silks in the 17-year history of Dubai World Cup meetings.
Breakthrough
"I'm very excited," said Turner, who notched up 100 winners in a calendar year in 2008.
"I'm thrilled to be a part of it and it's good that Chantal is here as well.
"She deserves a lot of credit for riding in the big race. It's a bit of a breakthrough for the girls."
Delighted to be making history on Saturday, Turner said she had her fair share of problems when she first started racing in a male-dominated world.
"Initially I felt it, but now I am a jockey first and of course happy to be a ‘female jockey'," she said.
Turner had a great year last year when she rode her first Group One winner, Dream Ahead in the July Cup in Newmarket, and the following month won the Group One Nunthorpe Stakes on Margot Did, the horse she rides on Saturday.
Both Sutherland and Turner are stars in their own right and are also friends.
The British ace hailed the Canadian's success.
"When I met her last in the US, she made me feel at home," Turner said.
"We did exchange riding silks and hopefully we will do the same here.
"Though I have not brought anything in particular for her I do have a lot of riding gear and she can take what she wants.
Attention
"She has had made a massive breakthrough in the men's domain and I am excited that she is riding in the Dubai World Cup.
"She's a professional and knows how important it is to be in a big race."
Turner admitted she and Chantal would be expecting a lot of attention for being the first female jockeys to race at the meeting.
"There has to be a first for everything," she said.
"I'm hoping next year there will be a few more girls and it won't be such a big deal.
"It's been a big part of my career, making breakthroughs.
"It's nice to do it but it's also nice to now that it's normal now too. People accept me as a jockey now.
"The standard of female jockeys is getting better and in Britain we have quite a few like Cathy Gannon.
"I am happy that more female jockeys are hogging the limelight around the world."
