Jump to content

User:Peaky76/Michael Scudamore

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Michael Scudamore senior (born 1932/33[1]) is a former National Hunt jockey and trainer, who rode a winner in each of the sport's three biggest steeplechases - the Grand National, Cheltenham Gold Cup and King George VI Chase during his career.

Career

[edit]

Jockey

[edit]

Scudamore experienced major success in the 1956 King George VI Chase on Peter Cazalet's Rose Park, a 100-6 shot who beat more fancied stable companion Devon Loch[2]. The following year he went on to take the Cheltenham Gold Cup on Linwell[2]. However, his biggest win as a jockey came in the 1959 Grand National when he rode the Willie Stephenson trained bay gelding Oxo to victory by one-and-a-half lengths from Wyndburgh.[1]. Besides this success, Scudamore also holds the record for most consecutive rides in the Grand National, a sequence of 16, starting in 1951, when he fell at the first on a horse called Easter A Calling, and ending in 1966[1].

Retirement as a jockey was forced upon him aged 34 due to head injuries sustained in a fall at Wolverhampton. During his career he had won all the top jumps races bar the Champion Hurdle[2]. His last win before officially retiring was on Gay Record at Wye in 1966, although he returned to win a celebrity race on the flat at Wincanton in 1998[2] while in his sixties.

Trainer

[edit]

Scudamore took out a trainer's licence soon after his retirement and trained for nearly thirty years, until 1996. He then took to riding out several times a week for Nigel Twiston-Davies[2]

In 2005, he took out his licence once again and trained at Eccleswall Court. During this time the yard had a few big wins including Heltornic at Wetherby and Haydock, and The Wicketkeeper winning a listed race at Ascot.[3]. His grandson, Michael Jr, took over the trainers licence from in April 2008.[4]

Family

[edit]

Scudamore is also the head of one of the most notable dynasties in British horse racing.

His son Peter was eight-time champion jump jockey and his grandsons Tom and Michael Jr are both horsemen - Tom is a distinguished National Hunt jockey and Michael a trainer[1].

Scudamore's father was also an amateur rider in the 1940s.[2]

Michael still helps out at the yard of Michael Jr, near Ross-on-Wye, in Herefordshire, although he stopped riding out in 2007[1].

Michael Scudamore
OccupationFormer jockey and trainer
Born1932-33
Major racing wins
Grand National, Cheltenham Gold Cup, King George VI Chase
Significant horses
Oxo

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d e Henderson, Jon (3 April 2009). "Tom Scudamore carries the weight of family tradition into the Grand National". The Guardian. Retrieved 4 April 2013.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Owen, Garry (25 May 2002). "Where are they now? Michael Scudamore". Daily Record. Retrieved 4 April 2013.
  3. ^ "Employee Spotlight". Scudamore Racing. Retrieved 4 April 2013.
  4. ^ "Employee Spotlight". Scudamore Racing. Retrieved 4 April 2013.
[edit]