Flat jockey Martin Dwyer is to apply to the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) for a jumps licence in order to be able to ride at Aintree in honour of his father, who died in January.
Dwyer, whose most notable victories have come aboard Sir Percy (GB) (Mark Of Esteem {Ire}) in the 2006 Derby and Casual Look (Red Ransom) in the Oaks three years earlier, is hoping to be cleared to ride Loud And Clear (GB) (Dalakhani {Ire}) for Iain Jardine in the Grade 2 bumper during April's Grand National meeting.
A native of Liverpool, Dwyer, who became a jockey at his father's persuasion, said, “It's been a tough time this last month. I've got to speak to the BHA and hopefully they will let me ride as I think it will be a really nice thing to remember my dad like that.”
He added, “He loved racing and it was my dad who got me into the sport in the first place. It will obviously mean a lot to have a ride at Aintree, which is on our doorstep. I've never ridden over jumps before, but it's only a bumper so at least I won't have to jump over anything. He's a good horse and it will be a dream come true if I can win it.”
It is not unprecedented for leading Flat jockeys to take the odd ride under National Hunt rules. In 2002, Jamie Spencer won the G1 Weatherbys Champion Bumper at the Cheltenham Festival on Pizarro (Ire) (Broken Hearted {GB}) for Edward O'Grady, while Johnny Murtagh finished second on Golden Cross (Ire) (Goldmark) in the G1 World Hurdle in 2006.
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