Lucinda reflects on her National day of glory

LUCINDA Russell admitted that the achievement of winning the Grand National “hasn’t quite sunk in”.

Twenty-two years since saddling her first winner, Fiveleigh Builds at Perth, Lucinda won the world’s greatest horse race when One For Arthur made a late run through the field to win the Aintree spectacular.

Having tried three times before to win the race, with Greenhill Raffles, Strong Resolve and Silver By Nature, it was fourth time lucky for Lucinda.

Her stables on the outskirts of Milnathort were packed with wellwishers yesterday morning with many taking the chance to have their pictures taken with One For Arthur.

Lucius, owned by the Whittaker family who live at nearby Duncreivie, won the Grand National in 1978 and Lucinda recalled sitting on him when she was a little girl.

Now she has created her own piece of Grand National history.

“I’ve had around 280 messages of congratulations. It’s absolutely fantastic,” said Lucinda as she reflected on her day of glory.

“We didn’t get home until 12.30am yesterday morning.

“It’s always been my ambition to train a Grand National winner and I’ve done it. On the way home I was saying to myself ‘I’ve just won the Grand National’.

“Winning it has been a great team effort from everyone in my yard.

“I’m very proud of what we have achieved and it’s a great result not only for us but for racing in the northern part of Britain.”

Lucinda added that her mind flicked back to two of her former stable jockeys, Campbell Gillies and Peter Buchanan, in the wake of One For Arthur’s Grand National win.

Campbell died while on holiday in Corfu five years ago. He was only 21 and had partnered 131 winners, mostly for Lucinda.

Peter, who retired from the saddle last year, partnered 391 winners, most of them for Lucinda.

“Yes, my mind drifted back to both of them and Peter has been in touch to say congratulations.”

Derek Fox partnered One for Arthur to Grand National success and he owes much to the tutelage of former National Hunt champion jockey Peter Scudamore who is Lucinda’s assistant.

Peter said: “Derek has a lot of trust in the horse.

“He came from way back to win but Derek always felt he would make up the distance.

“The Aintree staff did a fantastic job with the ground and One For Arthur set the second fastest time in Grand National history.

“I never won the Grand National as a jockey, although my father did.

“That was in 1959 and I was one year old at the time.

“I am delighted to have assisted in the preparation of a winner of this great race. We have a great team here and our team ethic is strong.”

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