Turquoise was a small, lightly-built[1] brown mare with white socks on her hind feet bred by her owner the 4th Duke of Grafton at his stud at Euston Hall in Suffolk.

[4] Pope Joan herself was a successful broodmare, producing several other good winners, all of whose names began with the letter "T", including Tontine (1000 Guineas), Turcoman, Trictrac, Tiara, Trance, Titian and Talisman.

Despite her previous high reputation and proven stamina,[12] Turquoise was virtually ignored, and started a 25/1 outsider as the 1000 Guineas winner Zoe was made 5/2 favourite.

She sustained her first defeat in a legitimate race as she finished third or fourth (officially unplaced)[12] behind Lord George Cavendish's colt Amphion in the ten furlong Trial Stakes.

[18] Turquoise won again on the opening day of the Second October meeting, as she beat Colonel Wilson's colt "in a canter" for a ten furlong subscription race.

[19] The Sporting Magazine described the race as "a beautiful contest", whilst acknowledging that Turquoise had faced an almost impossible task at the weights.

She was beaten by Lord Sefton's mare Souvenir in a King's Plate over three and a half miles on 5 May and by Amphion in a race over the four-mile Beacon Course a day later.

[23] On 20 August Turquoise appeared in the Cup at Newport Pagnell but failed to reproduce her best form as she finished third in both heats of a race won by Coroner.

[25] At the Houghton meeting at the end of the month Turquoise recorded her third walkover win of the season when no horse appeared to oppose her in a subscription race over the Beacon Course.

[28] Her progeny included Jericho (sired by Jerry) who won the Criterion Stakes at Newmarket and finished second to The Flying Dutchman in the Ascot Gold Cup.