'I viewed myselfas a girl - no match for the men'

Geraldine Rees on her historic ride in the 1982 Grand National and her knack of finding sympathy with tricky horses

- Kate Johnson

INEVER wanted to be a jockey, I was mad keen on eventing and I had a very good horse, Pressoss, who took me to Badminton, Tidworth, Ireland and France. My father was a racing man, and when I met my husband, the pair of them teamed up against me!

My first race was on Twidale - the original jockey was delayed in traffic. I wasn't very effective; I'd drop my hands and they'd speed off with me. Then they would settle down into a nice rhythm - that's why I was useless on the Flat, I couldn't galvanise them into any sense of urgency.

With Twidale, I appeared at the start, shirt hanging out, looking like a nitwit, the other jockeys knew the horse's reputation as a bolter so they let me go in front. Off he shot, about 10 lengths clear, and they never caught him.

I'm very easy-going, I never get upset, so I viewed myself as a girl, very much an amateur, no match for the male jockeys in strength. I didn't see myself as much good except that horses jumped for me.

The horse that qualified for the Grand National was Gordon's Lad, related to Twidale, and another bolter. We bought him and I discovered he'd bitten huge ulcers into his cheeks, so I took the view I wouldn't take up the bit with him, and gradually he built confidence in me and it was decided that I should ride him because we got on.

I was applying my methods of horsemanship, getting inside the heads of difficult horses. I had tremendous sympathy with what they were thinking and what effect our actions had on them. It took time, but you began to understand certain horses were big tough chaps, got on with it and didn't mind what you did; others were talented and sensitive, you almost had to pander to their personality.