The Unibet Jump Season Opener race meeting at Chepstow on Saturday 9th October also sees the launch of a new book, “Champion Jump Horse Racing Jockeys”, the first publication to tell the story of all 22 post-war champions.
It contains exclusive interviews with several of the surviving champions, many of whom will be present at Chepstow to mark the book’s publication with a celebratory lunch.
Many of them have special memories of Chepstow, notably Peter Scudamore, who won four Coral Welsh Grand Nationals and Richard Johnson, who steered Native River to victory in the same race in 2016 by 15 lengths carrying top weight.
Sir Anthony McCoy, the champion jockey on 20 consecutive occasions, also won the Welsh Grand National aboard Synchronised in 2010. He rode 119 winners at Chepstow.
Further fresh insights in the book come from friends and families of the deceased champions and there is a foreword by Felix Francis, top-selling author of racing thrillers. He is the son of Welshman Dick Francis, the 1953/54 champion jockey, who will be remembered forever for losing the Grand National on Devon Loch when the horse inexplicably slid to the ground fifty yards from the winning post.
Published by White Owl books, the 256 page hardback is profusely illustrated with photographs of all the champions in action.
The book’s author Neil Clark is also a journalist and broadcaster who has written for the Racing Post and several national daily newspapers. In addition, he is a regular pundit on current affairs and sport on TV and radio.
He will be signing copies at Chepstow, as will some of the jockeys featured in the book, which costs £25.
