Peter Michael Scudamore MBE (born 29 June 1958), often known as 'Scu', is a trainer and former

jockey A jockey is someone who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase (horse racing), steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing. The word "jockey" originated from England and was used ...

National Hunt racing National Hunt Racing, also known as Jump Racing, is a form of horse racing particular to many European countries, including, but not limited to: France, horse racing in Great Britain, Great Britain and horse racing in Ireland, Ireland. Jump Racin ...

. He was an eight-time Champion Jockey (including one title shared with John Francome), riding 1,678 winning horses in his career. He was appointed a

Member of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding valuable service in a wide range of useful activities. It comprises five classes of awards across both civil and military divisions, the most senior two o ...

(MBE) for services to National Hunt Racing in the 1990 Birthday Honours.

Early life

Scudamore was born in June 1958 to jockey Michael Scudamore and his wife Mary. Michael Scudamore won the 1959

Grand National The Grand National is a National Hunt horse race held annually at Aintree Racecourse in Aintree, Merseyside, England. First run in 1839, it ...

on Oxo, when his son was still a baby. Scudamore remembers little about his father's career, except for the fall that ended it. He has, however, spoken of his father's toughness as a jockey and of wanting to live up to him.

Racing career

Scudamore's first competitive ride came in 1978, the start of a 15-year career which would see him break many jumps racing records. He benefited particularly from being a stable jockey for the record breaking trainer Martin Pipe and the partnership was an extremely successful one throughout the 1980s and early 1990s. As well as setting the then all-time career record of 1,678 winners, he also set the record for most winners in a season (221) in 1988–89, surpassing Jonjo O'Neill's mark to become the first jockey to exceed 150 in one season. Although both records have since been surpassed, Scudamore's records were set before the advent of year-round National Hunt racing. In all, he was champion eight times. He won 13 times at the Cheltenham Festival including two

Champion Hurdle The Champion Hurdle is a Grade 1 National Hunt racing, National Hunt Hurdling (horse race), hurdle race in Great Britain which is open to Horse racing, horses aged four years ...

s - Celtic Shot in 1988 and Granville Again in 1993 - and a

Queen Mother Champion Chase The Queen Mother Champion Chase is a Grade 1 National Hunt steeplechase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged five years or older. As part of a sponsorship agreement with the ...

on Pearlyman. Other major victories included the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup (twice), Mackeson Gold Cup, four Welsh Nationals (including two on Bonanza Boy) and two Scottish Nationals. Horses with which he was associated during his racing career included Grand National winners Miinnehoma and Little Polveir although he himself won neither a National nor a

Cheltenham Gold Cup The Cheltenham Gold Cup is a Grade 1 National Hunt horse race run on the New Course at Cheltenham Racecourse in England, over a distance of about 3 miles 2½ furlon ...

nor a King George. He retired on 7 April 1993 with a winning ride on Sweet Duke at Ascot, his 1,678th winner.

Post-retirement

Immediately after retirement as a jockey, Scudamore became an assistant trainer to his business partner Nigel Twiston-Davies. He later moved to Scotland to live with, and become assistant trainer to, jumps trainer, Lucinda Russell at Arlary House Stables near Milnathort. He has also pursued a career in media, featuring regularly as a

pundit A pundit is a person who offers opinion in an authoritative manner on a particular subject area (typically politics, the social sciences, technology or sport), usually through the mass media. The term pundit describes both women and men, altho ...

on BBC racing coverage and writing a racing column for the ''

Daily Mail The ''Daily Mail'' is a British daily Middle-market newspaper, middle-market Tabloid journalism, tabloid conservative newspaper founded in 1896 and published in London. , it has the List of newspapers in the United Kingdom by circulation, h ...

''. He is involved with his son Michael's yard in

Herefordshire Herefordshire ( ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in the West Midlands (region), West Midlands of England, bordered by Shropshire to the north, Worcestershire to the east, Gloucestershire to the south-east, and the Welsh ...

and his other son Tom Scudamore is a retired professional jockey. Peter is second cousin to former Chief Executive of the F.A. Premier League,

Richard Scudamore Richard Craig Scudamore Order of the British Empire, CBE (born 11 August 1959) is an English sports executive. He was the Executive Chairman of the English Premier League from June 2014 until his retirement in November 2018. He had previously ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Scudamore, Peter 1958 births Living people British jockeys British horse racing commentators British Champion jumps jockeys Members of the Order of the British Empire