'As an amateur, he was top class' - Gold Cup-winning rider Jim Wilson dies at 72

Nicky Henderson led the tributes to Jim Wilson following the death of the greatly respected amateur rider and Cheltenham Gold Cup winner at the age of 72 on Monday.

Wilson became synonymous with the Cheltenham Festival as he achieved the rare feat of winning as a jockey, owner and trainer at jump racing's marquee meeting.

Although Wilson upstaged the professionals by being crowned top jockey at the festival in 1980 with three wins, his greatest triumph came the following year on Little Owl in the Gold Cup. The same year he also guided festival cult figure Willie Wumpkins to a third straight victory in the Coral Golden Hurdle Final.

During Wilson's spell with David Nicholson, Henderson rode as an amateur for Fred Winter and the pair had a long friendship.

"It's a very sad day but he hadn't been well, so sadly we have to say goodbye and it's his family we have to be sorry for. He was a real gentleman and everybody loved him," Henderson said.

"He was a really great friend and we had so much fun together. We had some spectacular days, particularly when we were both riding. I always called him Jimbo and he always called me Popeye.

"We all had to get on and take life seriously sooner or later, but it was just very good fun. As an amateur, he was top class and he won a Gold Cup and there were the Willie Wumpkins days."

Wilson, who had been unwell with lung cancer, was godfather to Henderson's eldest daughter Sarah. The trainer added: "We went on holidays and played lots of golf together and I could fill a newspaper with the stories. Sadly he's gone and we're going to miss him."

Jim Wilson and Little Owl lead Silver Buck and Night Nurse in the 1981 Gold CupCredit: Gerry Cranham

Wilson won seven times at the festival during his riding career, the highlight of which was the 1981 Gold Cup in which he guided home the Peter Easterby-trained Little Owl – who he also jointly owned with brother Robin – in testing conditions to beat stablemate Night Nurse by a length and a half, with subsequent Gold Cup winner Silver Buck ten lengths away in third.

Wilson also enjoyed a fruitful partnership with Willie Wumpkins at the festival by winning the Coral Golden Hurdle Final on the public favourite three years in a row from 1979 at odds of 25-1, 10-1 and 13-2. A four-time festival winner, the staying hurdler's final win there came at the age of 13 and some eight years after his first in the Aldworth Hurdle (now the Ballymore Novices' Hurdle).

Wilson later became a trainer in Cheltenham and won at the festival again when Taberna Lord landed the Coral Golden Hurdle Final in 1987.

Grand National-winning jockey Bob Champion spent many years riding against Wilson and said he was an amateur in name only.

"He was an absolutely fantastic guy who was better than an amateur – he was a professional ability-wise, really," he said. "He was a great jockey, great horseman and great character. He had a fantastic record at Cheltenham and the festival. Horses jumped for him, which is the main thing, and he knew what he was doing.

"I rode against him an awful lot and we went racing together as we all used to share a car. He was great fun to be with."

Wilson's closest friend was former racecourse commentator Jonathan Turner, who said: "He was a great jockey but above all else he was a great man. He was one of the nicest men you could meet and we've all been so lucky to have him as a great friend.

"He was a proper gentleman and wonderful family man and will be sadly missed by so many people."

Wilson is survived by wife Melinda, daughters Fiona and Sarah and three grandchildren. Funeral details will be announced in due course.

Jim Wilson obituary: Corinthian who scaled the festival heights with Little Owl and Willie Wumpkins