From helping Victoria Pendleton and Roger Varian to training 400 winners, Alan Hill reaches latest landmark in amazing journey

After Oxfordshire trainer Alan Hill reached 400 point-to-point winners with Learntalot’s success at Dunsmore on Sunday, he received a text from a man who played a key role.

James Tudor, a former men’s champion and cousin of jump jockey Jack, rode Hill’s first runner – Noble Deed, who fell at Cottenham in January 2006 – and winner To The Top, who won at Tweseldown a few weeks later.

Hill has been to the top and carried out many noble deeds for the sport since then, while retaining a modest view of his achievements. When Tudor followed up his congratulations with ‘what’s your aim now?’, Hill replied, ‘To reach 401’.