Trainer Michael Bell with the globetrotting Wigmore Hall in Dubai this year
PICTURE: Dubai Racing Club/Neville HopwoodTurner to ride Wigmore Hall in Arlington Million
USA: Hayley Turner, who secured her first Group 1 success when partnering Dream Ahead to victory in the Darley July Cup last month, will have the chance to land another top-level prize after trainer Michael Bell revealed she will ride Wigmore Hall in the Arlington Million next Saturday.
Hayley Turner: won July Cup
PICTURE: Edward WhitakerWith Jamie Spencer, Wigmore Hall's regular jockey, set to be aboard Man o'War Stakes winner Cape Blanco, Bell has booked Turner, who took part in the inaugural Pimlico Female Jockey Challenge in the States in May.
Bell said Johnny Murtagh had been approached for the ride but was committed to riding at Newbury on the same day.
A number of top US jockeys were also keen to partner the son of High Chaparral, last seen finishing seventh in the Singapore Airlines International Cup at Kranji in May.
"Having discussed things with the owner [Mark Hawtin] we preferredto keep things in house and we've asked Hayley to ride Wigmore Hall in the Arlington Million," Bell said on Saturday.
"She's ridden in the US before and the thing about Arlington is it's very similar to English tracks."
Blue Square make Cape Blanco their 2-1 favourite for the race and offer 7-1 about Wigmore Hall, who finished second under Spencer in the Grade 1 SecretariatStakes on the Arlington Million undercard last year.
Since then, he ran creditably when fifth in the Champion Stakes at Newmarket before winning in Meydan and claiming third in the Dubai Duty Free.
Turner has ridden him only once, finishing second in a conditions race at Doncaster last year.
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