Grand National winning trainer's career milestone

Venetia Williams trainer 100-1 Grand National winner Mon Mome

A horse trainer responsible for a 100-1 winner at the Grand National has marked 30 years in the sport.

Venetia Williams, who trained outsider Mon Mome when he won the Aintree-based race in 2009, said she was looking forward to "hopefully many more years still to come".

The Herefordshire-based trainer said it was one of her most memorable wins. "It's the race people know the world over really. It's probably the only jump race that a lot of people have any recognition of at all," she added.

More recently her horse Royale Pagaille just missed out on becoming the first horse to win the Betfair Chase (Grade 1) at Haydock Park three years running this weekend.

Speaking before the race the Cornwall-born trainer said the achievement would have been a "big ask" but added that he had been "marvellous" for her.

Williams admitted the Grand National win was one of her most memorable wins in the sport as a trainer

Her jockey career had come to an "abrupt end" when she broke her neck in a hurdle race at Worcester in 1988, she said.

At the time she had been an amateur National Hunt jockey, as well as an assistant trainer to John Edwards.

It was in 1995 when she made the leap to obtain her licence to train solo.

"My first runner actually finished second and my second runner was a winner," Williams said.

"And again, it was at Worcester. Worcester's had a few key milestones one way or another - it started and ended two different careers in racing."

Discussing what she had learnt during her time in the sport, she said: "I think it's important to appreciate every single winner but equally.

"And it's important not to be too judgemental, I think, over the horses performance.

"They are animals and they have good days and bad days, and sometimes there isn't an obvious reason for a disappointing performance and one just has to accept it and move on."