Perseverance key to rise of National winner Treadwell

Liam Treadwell has had better days than his long journey to Doncaster this week which left him out of pocket once the petrol costs had been factored in, most notably when he won last year's National on the unheralded 100-1 shot Mon Mome.

This is still the race which every jockey wants to win – one that defines a career – and Treadwell achieved a feat that continues to elude and frustrate Tony McCoy and Richard Johnson who, between them, have amassed more than 5,000 victories.

Yet, while McCoy and Johnson rattle up the winners, Treadwell has enjoyed just 20 successes since Mon Mome galloped clear of his rivals – allowing time for his 'rookie' rider, taking part in his first National, to savour the moment and wave his whip in triumph.

It explains why perseverance is the 24-year-old's greatest attribute. The letter that he wrote, as a teenager, to Yorkshire trainer Dandy Nicholls asking for a job.

The phone call to Venetia Williams, Mon Mome's trainer, when weight issues curtailed his career as a Flat rider.

And the fruitless journey to Doncaster.

However, Treadwell – whose heroics on Mon Mome have seen him shortlisted for the 'ride of the year' award at tomorrow night's Lesters, a glittering ceremony that celebrates the very best horsemanship over the past 12 months – would not have it any other way.

"Without wanting to sound disrespectful, Adjami may not have been the best horse at Doncaster on Wednesday, but his owners adore him and – who knows? – one day they may have a really good horse which they will ask me to ride because I took the trouble to make the trip up to Yorkshire," said Treadwell.

"This game is all about making contacts, connections and being in the right place at the right time.

"If I had not had a year with Mr Nicholls, would I have ended up at Venetia's – and the chance to ride Mon Mome? Who knows?"

Treadwell comes from a racing family with his father being a work-rider and stablehand at John Dunlop's Arundel yard in deepest Sussex for the last 20 years, while his mother still works there part-time.

He began his career by riding point-to-pointers for Nick Gifford. At eight stone, he was too light so became an apprentice on the Flat for Amanda Perrett – before writing the letter that was to change the course of his career.

"I just knew Mr Nicholls had a good reputation for giving riders a chance," said Treadwell.

"I sent off the letter and he phoned back and was his typically blunt self: 'Bring yourself up – and bring your wellies'.

"I loved it. I was 17 and I lived just outside Thirsk for over a year before I became too heavy for the Flat, but I had around eight winners. It was great – you could be riding out 10 lots in the morning and spending the afternoon brushing horses so they were immaculate. You had to muck in and do everything. Whatever job needed doing, I was prepared to do it.

"He made a man of me – no two ways. And it was Mr Nicholls who phoned Venetia and made the introduction there. It was great to see Dandy at the BBC Sports Personality of the Year in Sheffield – one of the perks of winning the National.

"When I look back on my career those days, that was the year that got me going."

Treadwell's primary employer at present is the aforementioned Nick Gifford whose father Josh trained Aldaniti – the horse that cancer conqueror won the 1981 National aboard. However he's had a quiet season, one not helped by the inclement weather. It's why he's scrabbling around for rides on horses like Adjami.

With characteristic politeness, Treadwell fully accepts why he has lost the ride of Mon Mome. Aidan Coleman, the amiable Irishman who is widely expected to be crowned young rider of the year at the Lester's, is Williams's stable jockey – and it was his misfortune that he chose to ride Stan, rather than the stable's unfancied second string, at Aintree last April.

It has not harmed Coleman, even though Stan's crashing fall at the seventh fence in the National nearly brought down Mon Mome. He's ridden 52 winners this season and has established himself as one of Britain's very best jump jockeys. "It's disappointing, but I fully understand," said Treadwell.

Both riders also line up against each other in today's Kempton feature – the Racing Post Chase. Treadwell is aboard Le Burf, who has "a good chance", while Coleman rides the Williams-trained Atouchbetweenacara.

"I'm just looking for a good ride," added Treadwell. "And who knows what will happen in the future? Hopefully, a National ride will come up – winning last year has certainly helped my profile and why I secured a lovely winning ride on The Last Derby in Ascot's United House Gold Cup last October for Eoin Griffin from Ireland.

"You still have to put the hard work in, and that's what I'm doing, so, hopefully, I can get more rides in the big races. But you don't do that by relying upon one win in the Grand National – you have to keep looking to the future."