Jockeying for position

Not since Elizabeth Taylor and her trusty steed flashed past the post in the classic film National Velvet or Red Rum sped to victory in his third Grand National was there so much excitement in the build-up to a race at Aintree. While the National itself was the thrilling centrepiece of the sporting action at Liverpool this spring, the main event for Yorkshire rider Gary Lynch and nine other amateurs from across the UK was the 2008 John Smith’s People’s Race. For Gary, a 34-year-old warehouse stock controller from Bedale, competing in the nine-furlong charity racing challenge proved to be the equestrian experience of a lifetime. Thousands of people applied for the unique opportunity, so he was thrilled to reach the final lineup. And, although he finished ninth out of 10 on his trusty mount Cardinal Spirit trained by Ferdy Murphy, he was still proud of his achievement. ‘The whole thing was absolutely fantastic, a real buzz,’ he said. ‘I’d never been to Aintree before and the atmosphere was unique. ‘It was incredible to rub shoulders with the likes of Tony McCoy and Ruby Walsh and get their autographs. All the jockeys were great on the day, they just told us to get out there, go for it and enjoy it. And when we actually walked down the steps to the paddock, there was such a roar from the crowd, it was like we’d already won. ‘It really was the chance of a lifetime. An ordinary lay person wouldn’t get the opportunity to drive a Formula One car at Silverstone, yet there was I, riding a thoroughbred racehorse at one of the world’s most famous racecourses.’ Gary, who works for Black Sheep Brewery at Well, near Masham, had long nursed a childhood dream to go the Grand National: ‘It’s one of the few sporting traditions we have left, and we must treasure it.’ But, perhaps understandably, he had always assumed that riding at Aintree was beyond his wildest dreams. Then he heard about the People’s Race. Though Gary grew up with horses, had his own pony and hacked and hunted until the age of 14, he gave up for 10 years. It wasn’t until he was thinking about entering the People’s Race that he embarked on a fourweek intensive refresher course. ‘I applied three days before the deadline, and didn’t expect to hear anything, so was really chuffed to get an email saying I’d got down to the last 32.’ The next hurdle for Gary and other shortlisted hopefuls from across the north was an exacting assessment weekend at the Northern Racing College in Doncaster. Fortunately he impressed selectors and was enrolled in intensive training at Ferdy Murphy’s yard in West Witton, Leyburn. ‘They certainly put us through our paces to assess our fitness and riding ability. Ferdy has around 100 horses and I got the chance to ride some very nice ones. Everyone at the yard was brilliant; full of help and advice.’ After passing the final assessment challenge with flying colours at Southwell Racecourse just weeks before the big day, Gary was up with the lark every day to ride Cardinal Spirit and get race fit. ‘It was a case of really knuckling down to it at that stage,’ he said. ‘Ferdy chose the horse because he said we would suit each other and he would look after me, and he did. ‘When it came to the actual race itself, I was really excited. By the time I got to Aintree and was wearing the colours, I just wanted to get on with things. Ferdy advised me to carry on riding as I had been on the gallops, keep straight, go for it and enjoy it, and that’s what I did. ‘Cardinal Spirit’s a National Hunt horse used to longer distances, but I think both he and I did our very best on the day, which is all that matters. The whole thing – being selected, training and actually taking part – was incredible from start to finish. ‘The race was over in a flash, just 90 seconds, and it all went so fast I wanted to go straight out and do it all over again. The memory will stay with me for the rest of my life.’ The 2008 John Smith’s People’s Race was won by 29- year-old Clare Twemlow on Newmarket-trained Zabeel Palace. She collected £50,000 for her charity Direct Aid for Africa and won a five-star trip to Dubai to see racing’s 2009 World Cup. Gary, like his fellow runners-up, received £5,000, which he has decided to split between Yorkshire Air Ambulance and the Injured Jockeys Fund.

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