Fillies cut a dash at Ladies' Day meet

The borough’s women turned on the style when they rolled up for the first St Leger Festival Frenchgate Ladies Day since the Town Moor course re-opened.

Fittingly, one of the first successes on the turf came from a woman with Doncaster links.

Hayley Turner, who trained as a jockey at the town’s Northern Racing College, came fourth out of a field of 21 in the day’s first race.

Hayley, who was riding two-year-old horse The Betchworth Kid, said: “It’s nice to start Ladies Day with a woman scoring a bit of a success. It’s the first ride I’ve had at this year’s Leger festival so it’s great to get off to a good start.”

Another lady who was celebrating was Katie Sparham, aged 38, who lives in Selby. She took the title of Miss Doncaster Races 2007, and was impressed by the new Urban i Stand.

“It’s great to have won,” Katie said. “I love the look of the new stand - I’m just having a lovely day.”

TV’s Christa Ackroyd, who was one of the competition judges, said: “All ten girls in the final looked fantastic – after all, the fillies are always the best turned out.”

Cyndi Mihady, arrived in style in a pink limousine travelling all the way from Dublin.

She said: “It’s the first time I’ve been to Doncaster races.

“I’m very impressed. I love racing and I’d love to come back here.”

The course also got a big thumbs up from punters.

Racegoer Sharon Shaw said: “It’s great - it’s even better than York. I think it’s in a two-horse race with Epsom to be the best in the country.”

The festival continued today with the race card including the GNER Doncaster Cup and the Polypipe Flying Childers Stakes.

The main event takes place tomorrow when the oldest classic horse race in the world, the Ladbroke’s St Leger, runs at 3.15pm.