Former Edinburgh University student and dental tycoon Sam Waley-Cohen was riding high yesterday after guiding 50-1 shot Noble Yeats to victory in the Grand National.
The posh amateur jockey – who is a friend of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge – is also the great, great-grandson of the founder of oil giant Shell.Noble Yeats is owned by Sam’s dad Robert and the Aintree showpiece was the 39-year-old’s last race as he announced last week that he is retiring.He dedicated the victory to his wife Annabel and called it a “fairy tale”.
Sam, who runs a chain of 200 dental practices in the UK and Ireland, said: “I’m so choked up. It’s a dream, a fantasy, something I could never have imagined. “You go to sleep hoping – and wake up to a cold, wet morning and reality.“It’s unbelievable and has been hope beyond pragmatism really.”He added that his late brother Thomas, who died of cancer, was with him in spirit.Sam said: “I think Thomas is sitting on my back.
I ride with his name on my saddle.”Robert said: “It is astonishing.“We have won so many good races and he [Sam] is extraordinary over these fences.
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