'He's a phenomenal man' - jockeys hail Tom Scudamore after his shock retirement

Tom Scudamore was hailed by jockeys as one of "the best around" as the weighing room reacted to his shock retirement.

Scudamore announced on Friday he had brought his 25-year riding career to an end with immediate effect after being unseated at Leicester on Thursday, having returned from a concussion absence from a fall at Chepstow two weeks earlier.

The 40-year-old rider ended his career as the tenth most prolific jump jockey with 1,499 wins over jumps in Britain and Ireland and 12 on the Flat. He won 13 Grade 1 races, including the 2016 King George VI Chase on Thistlecrack and had been stable jockey for David Pipe since 2007.

Scudamore also had big-race success for Jonjo O'Neill in the 2020 Ladbrokes Trophy (now the Coral Gold Cup) on Cloth Cap, and the trainer's son and jockey Jonjo O'Neill Jr paid tribute to his former weighing-room colleague.

"He was a great friend of mine for the last few years and we go way back; he went to the same school as me in Cheltenham. He’s a phenomenal man, very funny and witty but also intelligent. Tactically, he was the best around," he said.

"He rode some great winners for dad, Sky Pirate at Cheltenham, Cloth Cap at Newbury and Soaring Glory at Ascot. He’s done very well for us and he’s going to be massively missed. He was one of the good guys."

One of Tom Scudamore's big successes came on Cloth Cap in the 2020 Ladbrokes Trophy (now Coral Gold Cup)Credit: Edward Whitaker

Fellow jockey Harry Skelton said: "He had a very successful career and was a great competitor who was always tough to beat. I never had a cross word with him and he's a good guy all round.

"I didn't see it coming but only he knows when enough is enough and he obviously thought that. I wish him all the best in the future."

Gavin Sheehan also admitted retirement had come as a major surprise to himself and other jockeys.

"I found it a massive shock as I thought he definitely had another three or four years in him," he said. "He's very fit and confident and was riding as good as ever. He probably just didn't have the ammo this season.

"My earlier memories of him were he'd definitely keep you in line. He was very professional and great to ride against. He wouldn't give you an inch, but you wouldn't ask for one.

"He was tough to ride against as he was always there when push came to shove. It's sad seeing him go and we'll miss having him around as he always had a good story to tell."

Scudamore's other notable wins came with Western Warhorse in the 2014 Arkle and Moon Racer in the 2015 Champion Bumper, who were among ten Cheltenham Festival winners for him. His last festival success came on Un Temps Pour Tout in the 2017 Ultima Handicap Chase.

He also won the 2021 Scottish Grand National on Mighty Thunder for Lucinda Russell and her partner Peter Scudamore, Tom's father and eight-time champion jockey, and the 2015 Grand Annual on Next Sensation for his brother, Michael.

Scudamore's last big-race success came with Grade 2 glory on Rock My Way on Cheltenham's trials day card last month, one of 56 winners he had from 348 rides this season.

The weighing room on Scudamore

Tom Bellamy
My first job was at David's Pipe when I was 16, but I did half-know Tom through our dads. He took me straight under his wing and was the ultimate professional and gentleman to deal with. He was a very talented rider and his record speaks for itself. More than anything, he was rock solid. He hardly had an off day and that his association with the Pipes lasted so long says everything you need to know. Even now, if I needed something, I could go to him and he'd always be welcoming. He's a great guy.

Harry Cobden
He was a brilliant jockey and has had the most fantastic career. He’s the ultimate professional on and off the track and we’ll miss him in the weighing room. That said, it’s much like when Dickie [Johnson] retired in that you get to move one space closer to the door. Scu will be missed as he was always great sport and someone you looked up to.

Sam Twiston-Davies
It's been a pleasure to ride with Tom and I've known him for years and years. His first point-to-point winner was for my mum and she's still got the picture in her lavatory. He's a great bloke and a legend in the weighing room. He's been a good friend to me, but what sums him up is how many people look up to him; I think he's been as popular as any of the greats who have retired in recent years. That shows the character he is and he'll be missed. He'll be hard to replace and, when he's in one of his story-telling modes, there aren't many better people to be in the car or weighing room with. You could have a bad day and come in and he'd make you laugh or if he saw you a bit down, he'd ring you on the way home. On top of that, he was a fantastic rider; he was very good at getting a horse into a rhythm and doing it the right way round. He never gave away ground and was tactically astute.

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'I'm fortunate to go out on my own terms' - Tom Scudamore announces shock retirement 

'It will be strange without him' - David Pipe leads tributes to Tom Scudamore 

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