It may have taken young jump jockey Patrick Wadge, 23, nearly two years and 63 races to ride his first winner under Rules, but the winner of last season’s conditional jockeys’ championship is being richly rewarded for his perseverance and patience, securing his first Cheltenham Festival success.

The delighted young Scot landed the 3m 1f Ultima Handicap Chase with the Lucinda Russell-trained Myretown on the opening day of Cheltenham (Tuesday 11 March).

“He was winging fences,” said Patrick of his winning partner Myretown. “Thanks to Lucinda and Scu and the owners – it’s crazy, the opportunities I’ve had, the places I’ve been and the horses I’ve got a ride on. He’s the best horse I’ve ever sat on and I think he might be the best I ever will.”

“Patrick’s early days in the saddle were pathetic!” says mum

The incredible wave he’s riding now is a remarkable turnaround from those barren early days as a rookie jockey when he came close to calling time on his racing career. Born in Gretna, Patrick says “as soon as he left hospital” he was carried round by his mother while she mucked out on his parents’ livery yard, so “from day one all I can remember is horses and I had a great upbringing around them”.

However, his mother describes the future champion’s early career in the saddle as “pathetic!”

“In fact, one day he got off his pony, let it go with all its tack on and said ‘I’m giving up’,” she recalls. “So where it’s come from I’m not quite sure, but we’re really proud of him. He’s worked really hard, he’s just been fantastic, he’s done really well.”

Patrick, who also hunted, showjumped and followed his father’s footsteps into eventing until he was 16, continues, “I certainly wasn’t always the best rider – I’ve had to work hard at it and I’d be up early in the morning riding out before school and mucking them all out. It was the same at Lucinda’s – I grafted to get what I wanted. I’m working now, but it still feels like my hobby too, so it’s good fun.

“I was very lucky that both mum and dad taught, and I always think you can link eventing and racing together – they’re very similar. I wasn’t the most confident of riders when I was younger, but I ended up in point-to-pointing through my older brother Cameron and followed him up to Lucinda’s five years ago – I said I’d come up for the summer and never left. I haven’t looked back since.”

Patrick Wadge: “That season was the be all and end all”

Patrick Wadge’s brother Cameron also started out as a jockey and is now one of the Lucinda’s assistant trainers. But Patrick endured a tough couple of years as an ambitious young jockey and came close to calling time on his racing career as the frustrations mounted during 20 months and 63 races without riding a winner.

“It all started off a bit slow and eventually I told myself it was going to be my last year – if I couldn’t get going a bit and ride a few winners, then I may as well call it quits,” says Patrick. “I just felt I wasn’t really going anywhere. It was call it quits or change place, so that season was going to be the be all and end all – it was certainly the turning point, and I’m very happy it turned out the way it did.”

Having certainly learnt his trade the hard way, finally, at Perth racecourse in April 2022, everything clicked for the determined Scot and he notched up a momentous first winner in a 10-runner novices’ handicap hurdle riding Petite Rhapsody for Lucinda.

“I don’t think it was necessarily me that kept at it, more the people around me who kept me at it – Brian Harding my jockey coach was very good and always supported me because it was a long time and it did get to the point where I thought it was never going to happen. Then all of a sudden it did, so I have to thank everyone who did support me.

“I think a lot of people would agree my racing brain wasn’t really the best back then – I could always get horses to jump, but I was still getting used to the racing side of things, where to place a horse and that sort of thing. But Lucinda kept employing me, so I owe her a lot and that pushed me to keep going and thankfully it paid off. The turnaround in just one or two years is bonkers really.”

Patrick Wadge: “I’ve had great people supporting me”

As well as Lucinda and Brian, Patrick credits Lucinda’s partner eight-times champion jockey Peter Scudamore and agent Wilson Renwick for guiding him through his breakthrough season last year, when he was entrusted with Lucinda’s top mare and subsequent Grade One winner Apple Away in a Listed race and has gone on to enjoy great run of five successes with his yard favourite Traprain Law, including second in a Grade Three Chase. H&H also caught up with Patrick last year when he enjoyed a remarkable sequence of six winners from seven runners.

“The backing you have as a young jockey nowadays is unreal – I’ve had great people supporting me,” he acknowledges. “Between Scu, Derek Fox, Brian who has been there since the start, and Lucinda who has been very good to me – she’s very understanding of horses. Her yard has really grown over the past few years, going down south and winning on the big days, and it’s a brilliant place to work and they’re only getting bigger and stronger.

“I joined Wilson at the start of last year and it really took off from then, he got me some nice rides and he gives me great advice after racing, so if I ever feel like I’ve made a mistake or done something wrong – he’s there, he’s honest and he’ll tell me the truth.

“Scu is brilliant too – sometimes he’s a wee bit old fashioned in his ways, he keeps it simple, but what he says works. It’s brilliant having those kind of people behind you, helping you to improve.”

“I rode 24 lots that day!”

Patrick Wadge says working at two-time Grand National-winner Lucinda Russell’s yard is a “busy place to be”.

“It’s hard work and you have to graft, but she and Scu are some characters,” he says. “Obviously there are days when the stress is high, but they’re great to be around and they get stuck in with us too – Lucinda’s out there at 6am, mucking out, riding out and mingling with the yard. You can talk to them about anything. They’re brilliant people and deserve what they get.

“I’ll always remember one day it snowed and a lot of people couldn’t get into work, I was unfortunately one of those people who could get into work, and I was at the main yard at Arlary and I was the only lad riding, everyone else was mucking out. That day I rode out 24 lots, so that was a hard day! But that’s the way it works – if you work hard, you knuckle down and you graft, you get stuff in return.”

Traprain Law: the “great character” Patrick owes it all to

Talking about the wonderful Traprain Law, a multi-winner at Ayr and Kelso, Patrick describes him as a “great character” and the horse he owes it all to.

“You always get told, there will be one horse – it might not be your first winner, although you always remember your first winner – who will be your breakthrough horse and then you’ll hit the roll and for me it was Traprain Law,” explains Patrick.

“I’ve ridden him since day one and watched him develop. The first day he ran I thought he’d be something big and he got beaten by a horse rated 80 and I thought ‘Well that’s me completely wrong’. But we just had to figure him out and work out how he goes – he’s a front runner and he likes soft ground and all sorts of stuff.

“He’s such a lovely horse and every time I feel like we’ve got the grasp of him, he gives you a bit more, so he’s exciting going into next year, because this year he was very good over fences and didn’t put a foot wrong – he won twice and was placed twice. Everyone likes him on the yard.

“He’s such a friendly horse – you can stand in his box and he’ll rest his head on your shoulder, he’s a big gentleman. But when you ride him, he’s not one you’d put anyone on because he’s quite hot-headed and he’s all wound up, he’s quite a jazzy horse. But he’s just likeable, really sweet and honest.”

Future aspirations: “This story just keeps getting better and better”

Having been third in the championship the previous season, Patrick Wadge became the third rider from Scotland to claim the prestigious conditional jockeys’ title in 2024, following Lucy Alexander in 2013 and Craig Nichol in 2016. As well as Lucinda Russell, Patrick also rode winners for trainers Jennie Candlish, Iain Jardine, Martin Todhunter and Michael and David Easterby.

Speaking ahead of the current season, Patrick revealed some trepidation about the next steps in this remarkable journey.

“Next season is the scariest one, it’s hard to think that probably next year I’ll lose my claim. But ambitions-wise it would just be to busy as I can be,” says Patrick. “It would be lovely to follow on and go and do what Sean Bowen and Harry Cobden have done, but it’s easier said than done.

“So I’d love to get as much sport as I can, build every year, improve on every season and try to get some nice horses behind me. I’ve got a few with Lucinda that could maybe go on and run in Graded races next season, so it would be nice to win one of them. But another year like this would be great.

“They say there’s a story behind everything and mine just keeps getting better and better,” says Patrick. “It doesn’t happen for everyone so I feel so lucky it happened for me, it’s a great job to be in. I’ve had the opportunity to ride some amazing horses this past season and horses like Apple Away are ones that come round once in a lifetime.

“It’s amazing to be here and an unbelievable position to be in.”

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The Scudamores: Three of a kind is a 15-chapter book that has been six years in the making. It gives the reader a brilliant insight into the famous Scudamore racing dynasty across three generations; grandfather, the late Michael Scudamore, a Grand National-winning jockey; his son Peter, eight-time champion jockey; and his grandchildren racehorse trainer Michael Jnr and top jockey Tom.

In his introduction, Peter explains how the book came into fruition and it’s conclusion, four years after the passing of his father Michael in 2014: “Work began on this book six years ago, in the autumn of 2012, when my father sat down for a series of interviews with Chris Haslam, a friend of the family who had taught English at Tom’s school. They chatted for hours on end, kicked around a lot of subjects and Chris taped it all. I’m so grateful to him for the idea and for having the initiative to make it happen.

“Two years later, my father and mother died within days of each other. Anyone who has lost much-loved parents will understand what I went through then and the loss I’ve felt since. It was a long time before I felt able to return to this project and look it in the face.

“But now, thanks to Brough Scott, Liz Ampairee and others at Racing Post Books, my family and I have been able to finish the job that my father and Chris Haslam started.”

The format of this book is unique, with each chapter broken up into snippets of dialect from the Scudamore family, as if they are all sat around a table together having a chat.

This style makes it particularly digestible for the reader, the kind of enjoyable, easy-read book you can put down and pick up again without feeling interrupted.

The topics covered within the 300 pages are interesting and engaging; they talk about life as a Scudamore, the realities of making a living as a jockey, how the racing game has changed over three generations, plus an insight into training racehorses and much more.

Just in time for Christmas, this book should be on any racing fan’s wishlist – full of history, fun anecdotes and a great insight by Michael Snr of how racing used to be “back in the day”. As Peter writes, this book is the perfect tribute to his late father and an era of racing that most of us will never know.

Price: £25 hardback, or from £16.66 on Amazon

Published by: Racing Post Books, 2018

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AP McCoy was not happy when the jump jockeys lost against their Flat rivals during the Markel Champions Challenge, in aid of the Injured Jockeys Fund, at Olympia last Christmas.

So, this year the 20-time champion jump jockey has decided to pull together a crack team, including John Francome, Peter Scudamore, Richard Dunwoody and nine-time Irish champion jockey, Charlie Swan, to do battle once again.

This time AP has some fierce ammunition as they are five of the finest horsemen you can find — and while they may have a combined age of 219, they also have an impressive 38 jump jockeys’ titles between them. However, they will come up against some tough competition in Frankie Dettori and his “Flat” team of Jim Crowley, Ryan Moore, Jamie Spencer and Richard Hughes.

In preparation, for the big occasion on 15 December, the ex-jump jockeys — minus Mr Swan — met for a training session with their team trainer, H&H columnist Graham Fletcher (pictured, below) and we joined them behind the scenes to find out how the prep is going…

“The main difference these boys are having to get used to is the change in stride pattern — they are used to going on long strides,” explains Graham. “With showjumping you have to come round the corner and ‘check’ before the fence.”

The top trainer sets a course of 1.10m fences for the quartet to have a jump over — including a water tray seven strides to a double, followed by a right-hand turn to a double of uprights.

“They are all champion jockeys — they are proper horsemen and can get on any horse and get a feel for that horse straight away,” adds Graham, as one-by-one the former jockeys pop round the course making it all look far too easy.

They will all be partnering experienced showjumpers — two of which are from Graham’s Faringdon yard.

“It is for a really great cause [the Injured Jockeys Fund] and I’m lucky to be riding a nice horse,” says AP (pictured, below), who had ridden out at the yard of Nicky Henderson before the training session.

“It’s obviously very different to what we are used to racing. On a racehorse you just want to get from A-to-B as fast as possible, whereas showjumping is so much about striding and precision.”

Team-mate John Francome, who is going back to his roots having showjumped from the age of 14 until 17 and nearly ended up working for Harvey Smith before switching to racing, adds: “It is probably harder for the Flat boys because it is a bit more outside their comfort zone, although they did win it last year…

“We just need to make sure we don’t interfere with the horses — they know what they are doing — and get into a nice rhythm.”

Peter Scudamore, meanwhile, has travelled down from Scotland with his partner, Grand National-winning training Lucinda Russell, in their trusty camper van especially for the training session. “He is taking this really seriously, which is great,” adds Lucinda of “Scu” as she watches proudly from the sidelines.

“I got back riding out the racehorses in the summer after about seven years away from it — just to get fit for this!” explains Peter.

After about half-an-hour under the expert eye of their team trainer, the quartet certainly look fine-tuned — can they pull it out of the bag and claim the title from the reigning champions, the Flat jockeys? Well, they certainly think they are a force to be reckoned with…

Olympia, the London International Horse Show takes place from 12-18 December — don’t miss full coverage of Olympia in the Horse & Hound

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They have been at the top of their game on the racecourse but how will the quartet of AP McCoy, John Francome, Peter Scudamore and Richard Dunwoody cope within the famous Olympia arena? The team received a ‘lesson’ from top showjumping trainer Graham Fletcher ahead of their appearance in the Markel Champions Challenge (15 December) — in aid of the Injured Jockeys Fund — when they will go head-to-head against Frankie Dettori and his team of Flat jockeys.

The 20-time champion jump jockey AP McCoy makes this showjumping malarkey look easy...

Team captain AP McCoy poses alongside Richard Dunwoody (left), Peter Scudamore (second left) and John Francome (right)

Richard Dunwoody takes to the saddle aboard a horse borrowed from team trainer Graham Fletcher

The jump boys — who have 38 jump jockeys' titles between them — pose with their trainer Graham Fletcher, who they hope is going to guide them to victory at Olympia

Should the Flat boys be worried? The champion ex-jump jockeys may have a combined age of 219, but they say they're a force to be reckoned with...

Francome, where has your horse gone?! Let's hope he finds it by the time Olympia comes round...

Team captain AP McCoy will partner a borrowed horse from Graham Fletcher's yard

Peter Scudamore started riding again in the summer, after a seven-year hiatus, in a bid to get fit for the challenge at Olympia

We reckon that was a racing stride there, AP...

John Francome leads the charge (no they are not at a Pony Club rally...)

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Former top jockeys John Francome and Peter Scudamore will be passing on their top tips to budding young jockeys at a pony racing instruction day next Tuesday.

Former leading amateur jockey and H&H racing correspondent Marcus Armytage will also be on hand to give advice. And Katie Williams, head nutritionist at Dengie will be talking about feeding and care of ponies.

The instruction day will be held at Hartpury College in Gloucestershire on Tuesday 17 February.

Topics such as feeding, fitness, etiquette and race day procedure will be covered as well as practical demonstrations.

The instruction day will also mark the launch of the 2009 Pony Club Race Day Season.

Eight venues across the country — including Cheltenham and Ascot — will hold Pony Club Race Days this year.

A spokesman for the Pony Club said: “The race days were introduced as a grassroots level for the young jockeys of the future.

“We had about 200 children riding in last year’s days — lots know about the industry and come from a racing background but many don’t, so it’s a way of educating them with an entertaining day.

“More than 120 kids have signed up for the instruction day already, it is a discipline that is really growing in popularity.

For more information visit: www.pcuk.org

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Jump racing’s legends will take to the saddle again next month for a charity race at Kempton.

Richard Dunwoody, Peter Scudamore, John Francome, Adrian Maguire, Steve Smith Eccles, Norman Williamson, Brendal Powell, Simon Sherwood, Hywel Davies, Colin Brown and Barney Clifford will ride together in the Cortaflex National hunt Legends Charity Race.

Phil Middleton, managing director of Cortaflex, will also ride as a “wild card”.

The flat race will raise charity money for Richard’s forthcoming trek to the South Pole — upon which he embarks in November.

Since retiring from the saddle eight years ago, Richard has undertaken two arctic challenges, but this is his toughest to date. With two others, he will trek 650 miles in temperatures averaging -40c for about 14hr per day, for 60 days — pulling a 200lb sled on skis.

He is doing the trek to raise money for Spinal Research, Sport Aiding Medical Research for Kids (SPARKS) and Racing Welfare.

“The race will inevitably be ultra-competitive,” said Richard. “Unfortunately, I have to get my weight down for the race, and up for the expedition, which makes things interesting!”

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now