Armytage Geed up for National

Gee Armytage is probably the most famous woman jockey to ride in the Grand National, making her debut in 1988 on Gee-A. BBC Sport Online's Chris Charles caught up with her ahead of this year's race.

There's nothing more frustrating that being a retired jockey on Grand National day - and Gee Armytage is no exception.

Still only in her early 30s, Gee was forced to retire from the saddle in 1995 after suffering osteoporosis as the result of a fall at Huntingdon.

"It's one of those races I always wanted to win," she admits.

I knew as soon as I jumped over the first I was going to have a good ride

  Gee Armytage

"My career was unfortunately cut short by injury and I never got the chance to realise that ambition.

"I think any jockey who has retired would love to be out there on Saturday."

When Gee made her National debut in 1988, she proved a huge hit, staying in touch until four fences from home when her horse Gee-A began to tire and she was forced to pull him up.

Fast

"It was a great day," she recalls. "There was no real pressure because Gee-A was a big price and I'd already proved I could do it over the big fences.

"I actually did very well. I knew as soon as I jumped over the first I was going to have a good ride.

"The horses go so fast into the first fence - unless you've done it you wouldn't believe how fast.

"That's why there are a lot of casualties there. But if your horse backs off a bit, you have a pretty good chance of making it.

"I really didn't want to stop, but the horse was tiring. If it had been better ground we would have got all the way round."

But the Armytage family were celebrating two years later, when brother Marcus charged home to win the National on Mr Frisk, in the fastest time ever recorded.

"It was a fantastic day," Gee recalls.

Conditions were perfect for Marcus Armytage on Mr Frisk

"I was due to ride Monamore in the same race but unfortunately broke my leg the week before while racing at Ludlow.

"We would have been the first brother and sister to ride in the National - Terry Wogan's people wanted us his on his chat show, but when they found out I would not be competing they pulled the plug."

"The day itself was a typical example of everything being right.

"Conditions were perfect and my brother said 'if I don't win this today, I'll never win it'.

"He then went on to set the fastest time ever in the National - I can see that record surviving for several years to come - it's not often when everything goes right for you."

These days Gee's still very much in the racing game, as PA to champion jockey Tony McCoy, and will be up at Aintree on Saturday to cheer him on.

"I'm really looking forward to the National," she enthuses - paticularly as we've had so few race meetings this year because of the Foot and Mouth outbreak.

Rain

"We lost the Cheltenham Festival, which is obviously the pinnacle of the jump season, but there are a lot of top horses running at Aintree and it should be a great race.

"Tony's got some great rides at Liverpool this week and had the choice of 10 different mounts for the National before choosing Blowing Wind," she adds. So does she have any tips?

It depends on the course. It has been raining heavily this week and is likely to end up quite soft.

Gee had a great ride on her horse Gee-A in the 1988 Grand National

"With that in mind, I think Moral Support is a good bet. It goes well on the ground and is not carrying much weight.

"There are also two smaller horses - not much bigger than ponies, in fact - who have impressed me.

"Noble Lord is one. It is owned by the same people who used to own Merrymaster, on which I won nine times. When I retired I got them involved with this horse.

"It can be alarming to ride at times, but was second in last year's Scottish National and is clever enough to negoitiate the tricky fences.

"Then there's Northern Starlight, which won last year's John Hughes with Tony on board.

"Of the rest, Addington Boy always runs well at Liverpool and I would expect to see him in the top six or seven again.

"Mely Moss will be looking to go one better after last year's second but he hasn't raced since last year and maybe a place is the best he can hope for.

"If I was pressed, Moral Support would be my selection, but whoever wins, it promises to be a thrilling race."