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| Michael Scudamore, head of racing dynasty, dies aged 81 | Michael Scudamore, head of racing dynasty, dies aged 81 |
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| Michael Scudamore, a Grand National-winning jockey and head of a racing dynasty, has died at the age of 81, three days after the passing of his wife, Mary. Tributes were led by his son, Peter, an eight-times champion jump jockey, who described his father as “a hero”. | Michael Scudamore, a Grand National-winning jockey and head of a racing dynasty, has died at the age of 81, three days after the passing of his wife, Mary. Tributes were led by his son, Peter, an eight-times champion jump jockey, who described his father as “a hero”. |
| Michael was the son of Geoffrey Scudamore, a prolific winner of point-to-points in the 1920s and 1930s who served with the RAF and spent two years in a prisoner-of-war camp. On his return, Geoffrey became a trainer, achieving a career high in 1950 when his Sir Charles won what is now the Supreme Novice Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, with Michael in the saddle. | |
| Michael had made his debut in a point-to-point at the age of 14. In all he would ride 496 winners under rules, including in major races like the King George VI Chase and the Cheltenham Gold Cup, aboard Linwell in 1957. | Michael had made his debut in a point-to-point at the age of 14. In all he would ride 496 winners under rules, including in major races like the King George VI Chase and the Cheltenham Gold Cup, aboard Linwell in 1957. |
| His moment of triumph at Aintree came in 1959 aboard Oxo, after a sustained duel from second Becher’s with Wyndburgh, whose jockey, Tim Brookshaw, rode with a broken stirrup for much of the race. “I didn’t think I’d be sober for a month,” Scudamore said when recalling the victory, adding that the winning trainer, Willie Stephenson, criticised him for hitting the front too soon. | His moment of triumph at Aintree came in 1959 aboard Oxo, after a sustained duel from second Becher’s with Wyndburgh, whose jockey, Tim Brookshaw, rode with a broken stirrup for much of the race. “I didn’t think I’d be sober for a month,” Scudamore said when recalling the victory, adding that the winning trainer, Willie Stephenson, criticised him for hitting the front too soon. |
| Scudamore set a record for most consecutive National rides at 16 that stood until 2012. “I never hurt myself or a horse,” he told the Guardian in April. “I’m rather proud of that and that’s when the fences were really big. | Scudamore set a record for most consecutive National rides at 16 that stood until 2012. “I never hurt myself or a horse,” he told the Guardian in April. “I’m rather proud of that and that’s when the fences were really big. |
| “ It was a great thrill. You would look forward to it like a kid looking forward to Christmas. You felt you’d achieved something every time you jumped round.” | “ It was a great thrill. You would look forward to it like a kid looking forward to Christmas. You felt you’d achieved something every time you jumped round.” |
| Scudamore’s riding career was ended by a fall at Wolverhampton in 1966 that cost him 90% of the sight in one eye. He became a trainer, winning two of the major handicap chases at Cheltenham, the Grand Annual in 1970 and the Mackeson in 1974. | Scudamore’s riding career was ended by a fall at Wolverhampton in 1966 that cost him 90% of the sight in one eye. He became a trainer, winning two of the major handicap chases at Cheltenham, the Grand Annual in 1970 and the Mackeson in 1974. |
| More recently he was known as the father of Peter and then grandfather of Tom, who rode three winners at the latest Cheltenham Festival, and Michael, who trained Monbeg Dude to win the Welsh National in 2012. | More recently he was known as the father of Peter and then grandfather of Tom, who rode three winners at the latest Cheltenham Festival, and Michael, who trained Monbeg Dude to win the Welsh National in 2012. |
| “He was a hero to us,” Peter Scudamore told the Racing Post. “They were tough men in those days. He rode in a 40-runner novice chase round Hereford and said when he had a fall his helmet hit the floor before he did, as there were no straps in those days. | “He was a hero to us,” Peter Scudamore told the Racing Post. “They were tough men in those days. He rode in a 40-runner novice chase round Hereford and said when he had a fall his helmet hit the floor before he did, as there were no straps in those days. |
| “They were just a different generation of toughness and, without him and the other people of his era, National Hunt racing wouldn’t be held in the regard that it is today and I’d never want to forget the legacy they left us. | “They were just a different generation of toughness and, without him and the other people of his era, National Hunt racing wouldn’t be held in the regard that it is today and I’d never want to forget the legacy they left us. |
| “People come up to me and say, ‘I’ve watched many jockeys and he was the best one I’ve ever seen over a fence’, which makes you immensely proud. He was the toughest man I’ve ever met.” | “People come up to me and say, ‘I’ve watched many jockeys and he was the best one I’ve ever seen over a fence’, which makes you immensely proud. He was the toughest man I’ve ever met.” |