GRAND NATIONAL hero Oliver Sherwood has shocked racing by announcing he is quitting training.
The mastermind behind Many Clouds’ 2015 Aintree victory says the loss of a close friend – and his own brush with cancer – have contributed to his decision.
Sherwood is giving up the training ranks just over eight years after winning the Grand National
But he won’t be leaving the sport entirely.
Sherwood, who will officially leave the ranks in July after 39 years, is teaming up with up Harry Derham.
The former Large Action handler will join Paul Nicholls’ ex-assistant as his burgeoning stable takes off.
Sherwood, 68, said having fewer runners left with him the ‘stress and worry of trying to make ends meet’.
But, writing in his blog, he opened up on the devastating impact losing close mate Richard Aston, a leading figure in the British bloodstock industry, had had on him.
Sherwood, who was told last April after six bouts of chemotherapy he was cancer-free, wrote: “It’s been a tough decision to make but with dwindling numbers it became inevitable.
“That was the main reason but after recovering from cancer myself and then losing a very close friend of mine, Richard Aston, recently from the same dreadful disease it makes you aware how precious time is.
“I love training and I couldn’t be without horses but I want to enjoy it again without the stress and worry of trying to make ends meet.”
Opening up to the Racing Post about the impact Aston’s passing had on him, Sherwood said: “Never when I was ill did I think I was going to die but what happened to Richard frightened the life out of me.
“He was diagnosed towards the end of February and died two months later.
“We could see he didn’t look right when we stayed with him and his wife Sally the night before the National weights lunch.
“I told him if he didn’t go to see someone, we wouldn’t stay with them for Aintree, as we had for 30 years.
“He did see someone but it was all too late. That was horrendous.”
He added: “I’ve had an amazing time training and I’ve been lucky to have had some great times on a racecourse, the pinnacle of which was Many Clouds winning the Grand National in 2015.
“That along with six Cheltenham festival winners makes me feel proud and privileged to have had such horses in my care.”
Many Clouds won the world’s most famous race for his late billionaire owner Trevor Hemmings, of Butlins fame, at odds of 25-1 under jockey Leighton Aspell.
The horse suffered a tragic end when he collapsed after winning a the Cotswold Chase at Cheltenham in January 2017.
Sherwood will continue having runners through the summer until officially joining Derham.
