Dream comes true for Sam with place in Aintree race

He has been chosen as one of ten riders to compete in the Johns Smith's People's Race there on Saturday.

Sam, of The Crescent, Cootham, has been chosen from thousands of hopefuls who originally applied to ride out their dream in the amateur charity flat race, organised by Aintree sponsor John Smith, in front of 70,000 spectators.

He has done a most of his pre-race training with Richard Rowe at Ashleigh House racing stables in nearby Sullington.

On the big day he will ride Naplam, and eight-year-old gelding trained in the north of England by Mick Easterby and owned by Lord Daresbury.

He said on Tuesday:"I haven't sat on the horse yet, but I'm looking forward to getting to know him."

Sam has worked as a stable lad at different racing stables throughout his life.

He said: "I have always had the ambition to ride in a race '“ it has been my dream for as long as I can remember, but I had never made the grade. It's a dream come true."

He successfully made it through each selection process, reaching the final 16 following a gruelling session at the British Racing School at Newmarket and was chosen as one of the final ten riders at the British Racing School at Doncaster last week.

The field of 16 was reduced to the 'Aintree Ten' when the contenders were put through their final paces by an expert judging panel led by professional jockey instructors Richard Perham and Malcolm Bygrave and BBC racing presenter Clare Balding at the Northern Racing College in Doncaster.

For full story and more equestrian news see Sussex Horse World, West Sussex Gazette April 1