'I couldn't watch the Derby - the plan was that I'd ride Ambiente Friendly , so it was a bit of a shock'
Callum Shepherd tells Mary-Jo Jackson about the ups and downs of a testing year

It has been a tumultuous year for Callum Shepherd. It’s no wonder, then, that the celebrations that followed his first Royal Ascot win on Isle Of Jura last month had real feeling behind them.
“You probably saw what it meant,” says Shepherd, speaking of the jubilant post-race scenes after the 16-1 shot had won the Group 2 Hardwicke Stakes, when his usual reticence melted into a flow of emotion as he stood in his irons and roared his way across the winning line.
“A first Royal Ascot winner in any case is a big milestone, but the timing was brilliant. The horse performed just when I needed a lift.”
Read the full story
Read award-winning journalism from the best writers in racing, with exclusive news, interviews, columns, investigations, stable tours and subscriber-only emails.
Subscribe to unlock
- Racing Post digital newspaper (worth over £100 per month)
- Award-winning journalism from the best writers in racing
- Expert tips from the likes of Tom Segal and Paul Kealy
- Replays and results analysis from all UK and Irish racecourses
- Form study tools including the Pro Card and Horse Tracker
- Extensive archive of statistics covering horses, trainers, jockeys, owners, pedigree and sales data
Already a subscriber?Log in
Published on inInterviews
Last updated
- 'He's a fantastic horse and it's easy to train good ones like that - he's the best I've had'
- 'Racing has always been in my life' - Olympics heroine Sam Quek opens up on her love of racing, joining the ITV team and unexpected abuse
- 'I feel guilty because I've already had one go' - meet the owner chasing a second Grand National 42 years after his first
- 'I grew up with the Grand National - now it would be incredible to win it' - the training pair behind Britain's number one hope
- ‘Things happened that you can never put behind you’ - Shark Hanlon hoping for National redemption after the year from hell
- 'He's a fantastic horse and it's easy to train good ones like that - he's the best I've had'
- 'Racing has always been in my life' - Olympics heroine Sam Quek opens up on her love of racing, joining the ITV team and unexpected abuse
- 'I feel guilty because I've already had one go' - meet the owner chasing a second Grand National 42 years after his first
- 'I grew up with the Grand National - now it would be incredible to win it' - the training pair behind Britain's number one hope
- ‘Things happened that you can never put behind you’ - Shark Hanlon hoping for National redemption after the year from hell