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Francome and Scudamore lead tributes to Graham Bradley
By Racing TV
Last Updated: Thu 2 Jul 2026
John Francome and Peter Scudamore were among those to pay tribute to Graham Bradley following the death of the Cheltenham Gold Cup and Champion Hurdle-winning jockey at the age of 65.
Francome was crowned British’s champion National Hunt jockey seven times between 1976 and 1985, sharing the title with Scudamore at the end of the 1981/82 campaign.
Scudamore went on to win eight championships in all, including seven in succession between 1986 and 1992, and both spent several years riding alongside the “incredibly stylish” Bradley.
“I played a lot of golf with him and he was a really lovely lad and a lovely jockey,” Francome told the Press Association.
“He was very quiet (in the saddle) and could ride a very patient race, which is something a lot of people can’t do. He was incredibly stylish and just a genuinely nice human being.
“He was very good – if you were a horse, you’d want him to ride you.”
Scudamore hailed not only Bradley’s prowess in the saddle but also his many good traits as a person.
He said: “I’ve just posted a picture of him with my children when we were on holiday and we remained friends beyond racing.
“We were lucky enough to be riding great horses at the same time and he was a larger than life character – and character is the strongest word to describe him, he lived a fantastic and happy life.
“I will remember him as a fantastic jockey and a great golfing partner, but above all else the kindest man.”
Steve Smith Eccles was another major player in the weighing room in the 80s and 90s and said: “There are not enough words to do Graham Bradley justice, he was outstanding. Brad was one of the greatest jockeys I’ve ever seen. He was so cool, so collected and he was absolutely stunning on a horse.
“He loved a drink and he enjoyed life and there will never be a Graham Bradley again – he was top shop.
“It was such a sad phone call to receive telling me the news and it’s one of those where you can’t really say anything. It’s a great loss losing a jockey as good as Graham Bradley, he was such a top man and a great friend.”
Mark Dwyer was another Gold Cup and Champion Hurdle-winning rider.
He said: “He was one of us you could say, and although he was a little older than me he was from the same era.
“I came a little after him and I think he had already won his Gold Cup on Bregawn, but we were doing battle every day. He was high up on the tree at Dickinsons and I was at the opposite end with Jimmy Fitzgerald and they were two fair powerhouses in the north of England at that stage.
“He was a fabulous horseman and a great rider and a great judge of a horse, either on its back or on the ground. Invariably he would always call it right.
“Things have changed since our day, probably for the better, and we had a fairly clear run in our day. We didn’t waste much time and Brad was a great friend as well as a great competitor.
“Further down the line we would go to Ireland quite a bit when the Sunday meetings were on and there was always a day or a night out somewhere.
“I saw Brad at Jack Berry House in Malton around February time this year and his wife Bob (Amanda) has been tremendous for him, looking after him in such trying times. Since he was diagnosed with dementia a couple of years ago she has been his rock.”
Peter Niven was a stalwart of the northern weighing room. He said “He’s been up to Malton a few times and I’ve been to see him – it’s heartbreaking.
“It’s very sad. He was great fun in the weighing room and a very generous man. I can only say good things about him and he was obviously a brilliant jockey.
“By the time I got going Michael Dickinson had packed up and Brad had really gone more south, but he was still very much a northerner.
“He loved his racing and the last time I saw him we were looking at pictures of him riding that were on his phone.”
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