success passes through the generations

Their father Peter was the eight-time champion jockey who retired from the saddle in April 1993 after Sweet Duke was his 1,678th career victory – a then record.

Now assistant trainer to his partner Lucinda Russell, the accomplished Scottish trainer, his big-race wins as a jockey included Cheltenham Champion Hurdle triumphs on Celtic Shot (1988) and Granville Again (1993) as well as the 1987 Queen Mother Champion Chase on Pearlyman.

Yet, when it comes to big races, Scudamore has an inferior record to his legendary father Michael who won the 1957 Cheltenham Gold Cup on Linwell before landing the Grand National two years later on Oxo.

His 1957 Welsh National win on Creeola II was the first of four triumphs in the race for the legendary trainer Fred Rimell whose final success, in 1976, came courtesy of Rag Trade who was following up his win in that year’s Grand National.

More recently, the race has been won by horses of the calibre of Synchronised who won the 2010 renewal under AP McCoy before landing last season’s blue riband Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Yet the name ‘Scudamore’ does not guarantee success. There was an occasion eight years ago, when Tom Scudamore suffered verbal abuse at Wetherby because he had been beaten on a well-backed horse. His response was a mature one; very few jockeys will have the fortune to be as good as his father – and grandfather.