Grand National winning trainer takes up joint licence with champion jockey's son

Scotland’s most successful jumps stable will have an additional name on the front door after Grand National-winning trainer Lucinda Russell announced a new training partnership.

Russell is one of only a handful of active trainers to have won the Grand National twice, taking the prize with One For Arthur in 2017 and Corach Rambler in 2023. She has saddled over 1,000 winners since taking out her licence in 1995, also recording a big win in the 2021 Scottish Grand National with Mighty Thunder and clinched her fourth Cheltenham Festival success with Myretown in the Ultima Handicap Chase in March.

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Russell has achieved the top honours in tandem with her partner Peter Scudamore, the eight-time champion jumps jockey, and for the last two seasons Peter’s son Michael has worked as assistant trainer.

Michael Scudamore moved to Scotland after training on his own for 16 years during which he won the 2013 Welsh Grand National with Monbeg Dude, co-owned by former England rugby World Cup winner Mike Tindall, and enjoyed Cheltenham Festival success with Next Sensation in the 2015 Grand Annual Chase.

"The long-term plan has always been for Michael and myself to become joint trainers and it represents an exciting development for the stable as we look forward to the 2025/26 jumps season,” said Russell.

‘‘In his two years as assistant trainer Michael has been able to embed himself into his role within the team and fully acquaint himself with our training methods which utilise the outstanding natural resources of the Perthshire countryside.

‘‘Apart from the names on the licence, nothing will change but the effects of having Michael on board in a leadership role are already evident.

‘‘The size of our stable has increased by 20 per cent since he arrived in Scotland. We have built more stables and will have around 160 horses in training by the time the jumps season fully kicks into gear.

‘‘Being able to share responsibility for the operational running of the stable has also allowed me to concentrate more time on arguably the most important part of training, sourcing new horses. That has seen the quality of horses we are able to train continue to improve thanks to the support of our owners.’’

Michael said: ‘‘I am really excited to be joining Lucinda as joint trainer. The Russell stable has been one of the most successful in the country over the last two years and this move reflects our ambitions to reach even greater heights.

‘‘Any trainer will tell you that when you move into a new stable it takes time to get used to the gallops and the environment around you.

‘‘The last two years have been a great learning experience. I now feel I am fully integrated into a very experienced team in which everyone knows their roles. We have had some great results and everyone is eager to further build on that success.’’