Tracy Jean Turner was the daughter of Bill Turner who trained at Tavistock in Devon. Unlike her younger sister Jessica, who was a conditional jockey from the outset, Tracy began as an amateur and rode four winners before turning professional and adding another ten.
She had her first success at Taunton on November 18, 1982, when Lost Valley drew clear in the closing stages to land the Headscarf Junior Selling Hurdle by two and a half lengths. Although most of her subsequent winners were trained by her father, Reg Keenor was the successful trainer on this occasion. The winning pair followed up at Ludlow just six days later.
All four of her wins as an amateur were against professional jockeys, and although she did not have many winners when joining her sister in the paid ranks, there were five on the useful handicap hurdler Plaza Toro, including three in a 17-day period followed by three runner-up spots.
Tracy had her final success at Newton Abbot on September 1, 1987, when Bold Deception, trained by her father, was a comfortable winner of the Yarner Selling Handicap Chase, scoring by eight lengths. She did later finish first past the post on Pooella at Hereford on Easter Monday, April 4, 1988, but the six-year-old was subsequently disqualified.
Sadly, Tracy’s race-riding career was cut short soon after due to a head injury, while Jessica was paralysed from the chest down in a fall at Southwell in October 1988.
Tracy Turner’s winners were, in chronological order:
1. Lost Valley, Taunton, November 18, 1982
2. Lost Valley, Ludlow, November 24, 1982
3. Keep Sauntering, Worcester, March 21, 1984
4. Firm Conviction, Taunton, October 4, 1984
5. Plaza Toro, Worcester, October 26, 1985
6. Hi-Tech Boy, Huntingdon, March 26, 1986
7. Hi-Tech Boy, Uttoxeter. April 26, 1986
8. Rodners, Devon & Exeter, May 26, 1986
9. Plaza Toro, Newton Abbot, August 25, 1986
10. Plaza Toro, Fontwell Park, September 2, 1986
11. Plaza Toro, Newton Abbot, September 11, 1986
12. Keep Sauntering, Folkestone, January 6, 1987
13. Plaza Toro, Uttoxeter, May 26, 1987
14. Bold Description, Newton Abbot, September 1, 1987