'No amateur has a better CV' - Barry Geraghty leads praise for Sam Waley-Cohen

Jockeys past and present hailed Sam Waley-Cohen as the outstanding amateur rider of his generation after he added the world's most famous race to an amazing haul featuring the Cheltenham Gold Cup and two King Georges.

Waley-Cohen, who will turn 40 next week, has shown his riding talent at Cheltenham, Kempton and many others racecourses, but his record over the Grand National course defined his career with his victory on Noble Yeats his seventh success over the famous fences.

Legendary rider Barry Geraghty, a Grand National winner himself who retired at the age of 40 in 2020, said: "What a way to sign off – it's absolutely unbelievable. He's had a brilliant record here for years, he's a great rider who has won the Gold Cup and now the Grand National. No amateur has a better CV than that.

"He's a brilliant rider. He was a true amateur but he was no amateur as an opponent. He's a brilliant horseman and he's shown it every time he's gone out on the National course, it's where he excels."

Retired rider Andrew Thornton, who won the 1998 Cheltenham Gold Cup on Cool Dawn, praised Waley-Cohen's longevity and professionalism, the glorious reward for which came with victory in the National on his last ride as he became the first amateur to win the race since Marcus Armytage in 1990.

"I've followed him round here many times, he always seems to be in the right place. Confidence is everything over those fences and he's not had bad experiences – that's his seventh win from 30-something rides. It's phenomenal," said Thornton.

"He didn't have that many rides a season but he's always been sharp and meticulous with fitness. He's an amateur in name and was a professional in every way he went about it.

"He's got a very successful business. If he wanted to be a jockey he could have been a jockey, end of story. But he's a very intelligent lad and he made the right decision to stay amateur. To go out and do what he's done, I tip my hat to him."

Sam Waley-Cohen: Grand National and Gold Cup success the highlights for remarkable Corinthian

Tom Scudamore, who early in his career rode as an amateur alongside Waley-Cohen, competed against the retiring rider for the last time.

Speaking after he pulled up Cloth Cap, Scudamore said: "It's a fairytale, isn't it? I've known him for a very long time and we've spent our whole careers together. What he's achieved as an amateur is incredible, to win a Gold Cup, a King George and a Grand National – he should be very proud of his achievements."

Noble Yeats and Sam Waley-Cohen pass the winning post at AintreeCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

Waley-Cohen won the Gold Cup and two King Georges on the Nicky Henderson-trained Long Run, also in his father Robert's brown and orange silks.

Henderson said: "We've had wonderful times together. It's been phenomenal. They're a great family, great friends, and what a way to go out. You can't think of anything better."

More 2022 Grand National reaction:

Race report: Grand National fairytale as 50-1 Noble Yeats wins for retiring Sam Waley-Cohen

'This is just the stuff of dreams' – Emmet Mullins shock at Grand National win

'I've no regrets over selling Noble Yeats – it's my best day in racing'

'He wasn't popular at all' – Noble Yeats a big winner for the bookies

2022 Grand National result: where your horse finished and who won

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