Odds on change of career for jeweller
Black Country jeweller turned jockey David Griffiths struck gold as he galloped across the finish line at Aintree on Grand National day.
The jubilant 25-year-old was crowned champion in the John Smith's People's Race. He had put his job at the family shop in Dudley on hold to prepare for the big day and is now considering a permanent career change to racing.
David, who works at John Hollins jewellers in Wolverhampton Street, had to complete several rounds of gruelling assessments to earn his place in the starting stalls at Aintree including training at the British Racing School in Newmarket.
"I need to talk things over with my father, John, who came out of retirement to help in the shop.
"It is something I need to think seriously about. I am just getting started but it is definitely something I would like to pursue."
He made victory in the charity race look easy as he took his horse, Mith Hill, to the front from the start and soon set up a three-length lead.
"I knew the horse had got a decent chance It was an amazing feeling to be crossing the finish line with 70,000 people cheering. It is starting to sink in now.
"It was such an open race I thought I might be placed but I never thought I'd win. It's like a dream," said David, of Ombersley, near Kidderminster.
His win earned him £25,000 for both the Injured Jockeys' Fund and the Midlands Air Ambulance.
"I chose the IJF as they look after the less fortunate jockeys and the air ambulance saved one of my friends," he explained.
His trainer Ian Williams was full of praise for the winning jockey saying: "He gave the horse a fantastic ride. David rode him absolutely perfectly.
"I chose Mith Hill for him as he is a very straight-forward horse. He's run over fences, he's won over hurdles and on the Flat. He's a nice easy horse."
