My first encounter with a rider who would go on to greatness
Forty years ago in April, 1978, I reported on the Monmouthshire Hunt Point-To-Point Steeplechases at Llanvapley for the Western Mail.
And after the adjacent hunts’ race, I interviewed the winning rider, the then little-known Peter Scudamore, who was accompanied by his father Michael and grandfather Geoffrey, who had been a prominent rider between the flags in years gone by.
In the winner’s enclosure after the race Peter told me that he was turning professional, but little did I know back then that I was talking to someone who would later be dubbed “the most successful jockey in the history of National Hunt racing”.
Peter had his final ride as an amateur that evening on 25-1 outsider Drakes Beauty, which finished third behind Duke of Gwent, ridden by David Stephens, and Hafiz, partnered by John Williams, in the maiden race.
Under Rules, Peter went on to ride a then record 1,678 winners, the first on Rolyat at Devon & Exeter in 1978 and the last on Sweet Duke at Ascot during the 1992-3 season. He was champion jockey a record eight times and his total of 221 winners in the 1988-9 season was the highest ever achieved by a National Hunt jockey.
Peter, who rode mostly for Martin Pipe, won the Welsh Grand National at Chepstow a record four times with Run And Skip (1985), Bonanza Boy (1998 and 1999) and Carvill’s Hill (1991). The first was trained by John Spearing and the others by Martin Pipe. However, unlike his father Michael, who won the Aintree Grand National in 1959 on Oxo, Peter never won what is widely known as the world’s greatest steeplechase, although he did finish third on Corbiere in 1985. Peter was awarded the MBE for services to racing and now his son Tom Scudamore is carrying on the great tradition.
Peter wrote the foreword for my book The Welsh Grand National: From Deerstalker to Emperor’s Choice and was kind enough to say the book was “an engrossing study that not only documents the history of the great race, but also charts the development of National Hunt racing.’’
My Western Mail press cuttings reveal David Stephens won that 1978 point-to-point meeting convincingly on the well-backed Duke of Gwent in the maiden race, beating Hafiz, ridden by John Williams, and Drakes Beauty, partnered by Peter Scudamore.
Rosemary White, riding the odds-on Linden Lad, beat Underhill, ridden by Mary Williams, mother of today’s leading Welsh trainer Evan Williams. The men’s open race went to the odds-on Sparkford, ridden by Hereford’s John Bryan, who came home five lengths ahead of Joe Price’s mount Hobo.
■ In my round-up to that 1978 Welsh season, I wrote that the FUNNIEST moment was seeing David Williams standing on top of the second last fence at St Hilary after being unshipped by Saravant. Amazingly, he went on to win.
The SADDEST was seeing Court Lad trailing in last of seven finishers at the Llangeinor meeting. A prolific point-to-pointer, he had been a winner there in 1974, ‘75 and ‘76.
PROUDEST: Fitz and Cloud Castle, two Welsh point-to-pointers, fighting out the finish of the Heygate Gold Cup at the North Hereford meeting.
BRAVEST: Mandryka, after being headed on the run-in by old rival Sampson Brass, battling on to win by half a length.
CHEEKIEST: Tim Rooney riding three winners – Quiz Master, Fitz and Dairibright – from three rides at the Gelligaer Farmers races.
Also in 1978, Welsh wonder horse Mandryka was retired. I wrote: “Wales’ most popular point-to-pointer Mandryka, trained by permit-holder Tom Morgan, has run his last race. Shan Morgan, who partnered the little horse in 39 of his record-breaking wins, said last night, ‘After talking it over with my father, we have decided against running him again.’
“Mandryka would have been 15 next season. He once completed a remarkable sequence when finishing in the frame 33 times and in nearly 80 point-to-points, he fell only once.’’
■ Email your racing news and views to brianlee4@virginmedia.com or phone 029 2073 6438.