BACK in September, 1994, A P McCoy, who was crowned champion jockey on 20 occasions, enjoyed his first UK success at Exeter on a horse called Chickabiddy which was owned and trained by Gordon Edwards at his yard in the shadow of Dunkery Beacon near Wheddon Cross.

Gordon now only has a couple of horses he works with and concentrates on shoeing horses and the farming side of things, but he has still got an eye for a horse and over the course of the last six weeks Jaipaletemps, a horse that the family bought from France, has won on three occasions.

Daughter Gemma, who has been a key member of the office staff at David Pipe’s Pond House Yard for the past 22 years, takes up the story of the horse that has brought the Edwards family back into the winners enclosure.

“My mum claimed him after a race in France - I went out for lunch with my parents at Porlock about 12 months ago and they asked me to find out about this horse - and it turned out to be alright - he finished third in a race last January at Cagnes-Sur-Mer in the south of France; they put in a claim and got him,” Gemma said.

“Mum and dad have been involved with horses all my life and have done very well, but they are getting a bit older and haven’t got the time because they have got the farm as well, so he came straight to David’s yard to be trained, but they have still got a couple of horses at home.

“Jaipaletemps ran well in a race at Worcester in July but the ground was too firm so then we gave him a holiday, waited for softer ground which has been the making of him. He is so easy and fun to work with as well.”

Gemma went on: “He has been a revelation since returning from a summer break and has now won three of his last four races, ridden by Rian Corcoran on every occasion. He stays 2miles 4furlongs but seems at his best over two miles on soft ground and he put in another good display to win again on Sunday at Lingfield.

“He loves his racing and has a great attitude and I would like to think even after the handicapper has had his say that he can win again if we pick the right race. It was a nice birthday winner for my mum as well, Happy Birthday mum! I drove the horse to the races myself yesterday, it was a long day but very worth it!”

Regarding the young jockey who enjoyed his first winner under rules on board Jaipaletemps she said: “ Rian has been just fantastic and we have known his family for years, and my brother used to ride for his father when he trained a few horses. Darren used to ride for a few point to point trainers and when he retired Rian filled his shoes to get some experience and that’s now paying off.”

Gordon Edwards owned and trained the horse that gave racing legend A P McCoy his first winner in 1994 and now 31 years later a horse he owns has given Rian Corcoran his maiden winner, so it will be very interesting to see how the young jockey’s career develops from here.