Winner of the 1990 Grand National on Mr Frisk under an inspired finish. Also winner of the Kim Muir and National Hunt Chase (twice) at the Cheltenham Festival. Has ridden in the Marlborough Cup and Velka Pardubice. Was FEGENTRI European amteur champion in 1990.

Riding Weight: 11 stone

Licence: Category "B"

Winners: 100

Marcus New Book 'Hot Cherry' is being published mid-October 2005.
Click on Picture for details

 

 

MARCUS ARMYTAGE

Born Oxford 17th July 1964. Son of Roddy, a racehorse trainer based in East Ilsley, near Newbury, and Sue, who as Sue Whithead was an international showjumper. His younger sister Gee became the ‘darling’ of National Hunt racing when winning two races at the 1988 Cheltenham Festival.

Attended Eton College in same generation as politicians Boris Johnson and David Cameron (shared the school run with Cameron!). He was also there with Lord Spencer though Darius Guppy, who faked a jewel raid in New York, was the first to achieve ‘fame’ or, rather, infamy.

He used to slip out of college to ride at Windsor Races as a fledgling amateur jockey. He went on to attend the Royal Agricultural College, Cirencester, (irregularly) before graduating with a diploma in Rural Estate Management. Then, aged 25, he won the 1990 Grand National on Mr Frisk who still holds the course record time for the race and remains the only winner to have completed the course in less than nine minutes. Three weeks later the pair went on to become the first horse and rider to win the National and Whitbred Gold Cup in the same season.

He also rode 3 Cheltenham Festival winners before retiring from riding in 2000 having ridden 100 winners and in over a dozen different countries from Russia to Madagascar.

He started writing while at agricultural college for the Newly Weekly News . He joined the Racing Post as Newmarket correspondent in 1990 and left to join the Daily Telegraph racing team in 1993 and remains a racing correspondent there. He also contributes a column to the Horse & Hound.

He married Amber in 2003. They have a young son, Arthur, and one on the way.

Marcus is available for after dinner speaking.
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