Thornton leads tributes to 'amazing woman'

Cheltenham Gold Cup-winning rider Andrew Thornton on Friday led the tributes to former trainer Mercy Rimell, who died on Thursday aged 98.

Weighing-room veteran Thornton, who won the festival feature aboard Cool Dawn in 1998, had been friends with Rimell since the mid-90s and said: "The last time I saw Mercy was just before Christmas and she was still 100 per cent upstairs - she had all her marbles and did not miss a beat.

"She would always say exactly what she thought and was never afraid to call a spade a shovel - in many ways I think that is why we got on so well and remained friends right up to the end. I must admit I was in tears when I heard the news on Thursday afternoon as she was such an amazing woman."

Thornton built up a special relationship with Rimell after she gave up training but stayed involved in ownership, and he landed the Sky Bet Chase in January 2007 aboard Simon in her colours and followed up the following month in the former Racing Post Chase at Kempton on the same horse.

He said: "Mercy also bred Simon and she was very fond of the horse for obvious reasons and I remember being booked to ride him at Bangor in April 2006. I took him middle to wide during the race and won, but when I came back she said that if I had not won I would have got the biggest bollocking ever as she had instructed me to go round the inner."

Strong character

The jockey also partnered Rimell's final winner as an owner, Barton Gift, also at Bangor in December of last year, and he recalled: "He was winner 998 when I was chasing my 1,000th. A lot of people said Mercy had a very strong character - make of that what you will - but I'll always remember her with great affection."

Rimell's husband Fred saddled four Grand National winners - ESB (1956), Nicolaus Silver (1961), Gay Trip (1970) and Rag Trade (1976). He also sent out Woodland Venture and Royal Frolic to land the Cheltenham Gold Cup as well as training Comedy Of Errors to two Champion Hurdles in the 1970s.

On taking over the trainer's licence from her husband on his death in 1981, Rimell also notched a couple of notable festival victories with Gaye Brief in the 1983 Champion Hurdle and Gaye Chance, who landed the 1984 Stayers' Hurdle. She also sent out Gala's Image to win the Arkle in 1987.

Former trainer Simon Christian, who took over the reins from Rimell when she retired from training in 1989 at Kinnersley in Worcestershire, said: "She was a proper country person and was a great help to me and a great ally. I think we had one tiff and by 6pm that same day we were drinking champagne together. I had the greatest respect for her.”

Retired 20-time champion jockey Sir Anthony McCoy tweeted: "Very sad to hear the passing of Mercy Rimell. Always a lady and like her legendary husband she'll be forever remembered. RIP."