Tom Scudamore steered I Still Have Faith to victory in the Vickers.Bet Leger Legends Classified Stakes at Doncaster on Saturday.
Scudamore, who retired earlier this year, was having his first ride in the mile race confined to retired jockeys which raises valuable funds for the Injured Jockeys Fund Jack Berry House and the National Horseracing College.
Retired jockeys line up before the Vickers.Bet Leger Legends Classified Stakes during the Betfred St Leger Festival at Doncaster Racecourse (Pic – Racing TV)
This year’s line-up featured a range of recently-retired names, including Paul Hanagan, who only bowed out at the Ebor meeting, as well as the likes of Gary Bardwell, Gay Kelleway, Davy Russell, Robbie Power and Jamie Osborne.
The Ben Brookhouse-trained I Still Have Faith was sent off the 100-30 favourite and was covered up early on by Scudamore before launching his challenge with a couple of furlongs to run.
I Still Have Faith shot clear and while Hanagan tried his best to catch him aboard Biplane, the market leader had lots in hand, coming home a two-and-a-quarter-length victor.
Grand National-winning rider Power took third on Lion’s Pride, while Osborne finished with a flourish for fourth with Cliffs Of Capri.
Scudamore – who retired with 1,499 winners to his name over jumps – was sporting the colours of owner Roger Brookhouse, a long-term ally of his during his professional career.
He said: “It’s lovely. I had more winners for Roger than just about any other owner I rode for – I think I rode 60 or 70 winners for him. It’s a lot of winners and he was fantastic to me all through my career, right from as a claimer.
“We had some wonderful days – Western Warhorse for David (Pipe), we had some really special days. It wasn’t just Western Warhouse, I’m So Lucky – he had a fantastic family that’s still going well.
“He gave me some of my best days in racing and it’s a nice way of bowing out. I can do it properly now and it feels very nice.
“He was cantering a furlong out, they told me he was a good thing and he was.”
He added: “Everybody wanted to do this, it shows the admiration and respect Jack Berry has from the whole of the sport. It was a great honour and privilege to be asked.”
Hanagan said: “I enjoyed that, she ran a super race – but I think I’m probably blowing harder than she is. It was definitely the right decision (to retire)!”
Power said: “He ran well, he was probably tanking with me for the first two furlongs, but he is a strong traveller anyway.
“I really enjoyed, it’s been great seeing some of the lads again.”
Former champion jump jockey Richard Johnson was another in action, finishing 10th on Always Fearless.
“It was great, the idea is fantastic and it’s great to help the IJF and highlight charities and well done to Doncaster for putting it on at such a big meeting as well,” he said.
“Hopefully the crowd enjoyed it. I enjoyed it, it’s definitely the quickest I’ve been since I rode in it two years ago.”
Osborne, partner of some National Hunt greats back when he was riding, said: “He would have won on fast ground! I enjoyed it-ish. The first two furlongs I enjoyed, then when he came off the bridle through the middle of the race I hated it and then I was annoyed he actually found a little bit more in the last furlong because that meant I had to keep pushing.
“My horse and I have got 65 years between us so if they had jockey handicap races I think we’d be the winner.
“At halfway I was well off the bridle so it tested my fitness a bit too much and I looked like a child in the last furlong.”
- Racing TV
