Tom Scudamore, who has been the stable jockey for David Pipe since 2007, announced his retirement with immediate effect after he was unseated from Ya Know Yaseff at Leicester last week. A fortnight earlier, he suffered concussion after a fall at Chepstow, writes Richard Walsh.

This brings the curtain down on a long and very successful career which started a quarter of a century ago with his first winner at Newton Abbot in 1998. During his long career the 40-year-old notched up 1499 winners, including 56 in the current season, making him the 10th most successful jockey in National Hunt racing.

Tom has been the stable jockey at Pipe’s Pond House Yard at Nicholashayne since 2007, taking over the role from AP McCoy, since when the pair have chalked up many winners, both on the big race occasions and locally at Taunton.

Did his retirement come as a shock to Pipe?

“I knew at some stage of course that this was going to happen but it came as a complete surprise to me. He called me straight after the race at Leicester and said he was going to come back and see me in the evening, which made me think that something was going to happen.

“Him and his family came round and we had a chat and then enjoyed a glass of champagne to celebrate a fabulous career.

“Tom has been my stable jockey since I started. It’s been a special era, obviously with his father and my father, and then myself and Tom took over that. He has always been the complete professional both on and off the saddle.

“We have had some very good times and enjoyed some cracking victories and I am sure he is very proud of his career as we all are.

“Ironically he has probably been riding better than ever over the last few years and his last winner, at Fakenham on Pachacuti was a very good ride. In the big races Tom was always very good at the Cheltenham Festival and was alway in the right place at the right time. Wins on Dynaste, Moon Racer and Un Temps Pour Tout.

“He also had big shoes to fill when he came here because he was following on from AP(McCoy) and also in the footsteps of his father.”

The Nicholashayne handler went on: “ We have got a good team of lads here at the yard and I would like to have a stable jockey but we are not going to runs into anything- there is no need I don’t think.”

“I have been talking to Scu and he is keeping involved with the yard. He lives locally so whilst it’s the end of this part of his life he is very much looking forward to the future.

He added: “We hope that Tom will still be involved with the yard and will still be riding out for us. He will probably be doing something on television and still wants to be involved in the sport that has been his life!”