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Tom Scudamore up to ninth in all-time jump jockeys' list after Brinkley success

Tom Scudamore: rode his 1,353rd winner at Wincanton on Thursday
Tom Scudamore: rode his 1,353rd winner at Wincanton on ThursdayCredit: Edward Whitaker

Tom Scudamore became the ninth most successful jump jockey in history after Brinkley provided him with his 1,353rd career winner in Britain and Ireland.

Victory in the 2m5½f handicap hurdle at Wincanton on Thursday moves Scudamore above Noel Fehily in the overall table, but he will need to keep booting home plenty of winners to overhaul eighth-placed Davy Russell, who has 1,502 winners. Scudamore's father Peter is sixth in the standings with a tally of 1,692 winners.

The landmark success proved an easy one for Scudamore as the David Pipe-trained six-year-old travelled powerfully and kicked clear of nearest challenger Buckhorn George by to win by nine lengths.


Top ten jump jockeys

Wins | Jockey | (First/last win)
Britain and Ireland combined

4,348 Sir Anthony McCoy (1994-2015)
3,805 Richard Johnson (1994- )
2,767 Ruby Walsh (1995-2019)
1,920 Barry Geraghty (1997-2020)
1,874 Richard Dunwoody (1983-99)
1,692 Peter Scudamore (1978-96)
1,589 Paul Carberry (1992-2015)
1,502 Davy Russell (1999- )
1,353 Tom Scudamore (1998- )
1,352 Noel Fehily (1998-2019)


Scudamore said: "It's nice to do, it's great, but I'm hoping there's plenty more to come. I'm not exactly sure how far I'm behind the next one, but it'd be nice to keep climbing up there. Things are going well and I've got lovely horses to ride.

"It's quite an achievement that a fifth of them [in the top ten] are Scudamores!"

There could be further success to come for Scudamore on Brinkley, who bounced back to the same form he showed when running out a sparkling 15-length winner of a Newbury novice hurdle last February.

Brinkley: impressive winner at Wincanton on Thursday
Brinkley: impressive winner at Wincanton on ThursdayCredit: Edward Whitaker

"I liked him a lot after Newbury," added Scudamore. "I don't know what went wrong at Exeter last time. It was very disappointing, but that was a lot more like it. He'll make a nice chaser in time."

See the stars

A third regional National for stable legend Dawson City had trainer Polly Gundry so thrilled, she was visualising stars as she roared her gutsy 12-year-old to a brave victory over The Kings Writ.

Dawson City jumped emphatically to a hard-fought success in the Somerset National and in the process left his trainer beaming as she recorded a first winner since October.

"I was shouting and hopping up and down so much I saw stars. I never do that – only when I'd fall off a horse and land on my head," said Devon-based Gundry.

Dawson City's connections Millie Wonnacott (left), Polly Gundry and groom Millie Coleman (right)
Dawson City's connections Millie Wonnacott (left), Polly Gundry and groom Millie Coleman (right)Credit: Edward Whitaker

"I certainly thought there was an atmosphere and I rang my co-owner Kim Franklin, who was in floods of tears watching on the TV."

Connections were taking in Thursday's contest as a prep race for the Devon National at Exeter on February 26 – a race Dawson City has won in 2018 and 2019.

Gundry added: "This was his prep run, there was some nice up-and-comers in this and I just thought if it's not today he could have a jolly good run. He really enjoyed it.

Dawson City (right): winner of the Somerset National at Wincanton on Thursday
Dawson City (right): winner of the Somerset National at Wincanton on ThursdayCredit: Edward Whitaker

"It'd be good to run well in the Devon National again at 12 – three miles and six is more his cup of tea and he does like Exeter."

Elsewhere, Olly Murphy enjoyed a double on the card capped off by Sure Touch's victory in the bumper. The five-year-old – following on from the win of stablemate Fabrique En France in the opening maiden hurdle – is the first Murphy has trained for Robert Waley-Cohen.


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James StevensWest Country correspondent

Published on 21 January 2021inReports

Last updated 17:51, 21 January 2021

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