Amateur jockey wins on his father’s horse Noble Yeats in last race
Amateur rider Sam Waley-Cohen enjoyed a fairytale finale to his career as steered Noble Yeats to victory in the Grand National at Aintree.
The 39-year-old announced his intention to retire on Thursday, nominating Emmet Mullins’ charge as his farewell ride in the world’s most famous steeplechase.
Sent off at 50–1, few would have expected Noble Yeats to strike in the extended four-and-a-quarter-mile showpiece — but he ran a magnificent race as he fended off the 15–2 favourite Any Second Now by two and a quarter lengths for a famous National success.
Coming to the last they were the only pair in contention and under a strong drive, Noble Yeats kept finding more to prevail in the colours of Waley-Cohen’s father, Robert. Delta Work (10–1) was 20 lengths back third, with Santini (33–1) another length and a quarter away in fourth.
A jubilant Waley-Cohen — who won the Cheltenham Gold Cup with Long Run in 2011 — said: “Dad has always supported me unwaveringly, we’ve never had a cross word, it’s always been for fun. It’s been a love affair. To my wife, long-suffering, they aren’t all good days, there are bad days in this sport.
“We came here thinking the sun’s out, it’s your last ride — go and have a nice spin, no expectations. Just enjoy it. It’s a dream. I couldn’t believe it.”
He added: “I have to thank so many people. People said he was too young at seven, but when you’re on a horse that age you can take chances and it paid off.
“He jumped neatly and I started to think he was really travelling, I started following Santini and then he just started to go forwards.
“He jumped the last well, but then I felt the other horse come to me and I thought he was going to get me. But when I really asked him he kept finding and galloped all the way to the line.
“I was overwhelmed when I crossed the line, but then you have a responsibility to the horse so I had to keep him walking and get some water on him and make sure he was fine. As a jockey your race isn’t run until your horse is safe so that was my main thought — then get weighed in and go and enjoy it!
“Every day you win a race for your family is an amazing day, it doesn’t matter if it’s a point-to-point or the Grand National. People might say ‘yeah, whatever’ to that but it’s true, it’s a family day out and I’m overjoyed to win.
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