AINTREE’S first lady Jenny Pitman was delighted to welcome another female into an exclusive club after Venetia Williams’ triumph with Mon Mome in the John Smith’s Grand National on Saturday.

Pitman, who became the first woman to train a National winner with Corbiere in 1983 before the repeating the trick Royal Athlete in 1995, shared in Williams’ joy at Saturday’s shock win.

She said: “We were chatting at Cheltenham, Venetia, my husband David and I, and I said to her it was driving me mad that everybody keeps saying I’m the only woman to train the winner of the National and it was a long time ago. She replied she had to pull her finger her out and I said yes that's what she had to do, exactly. I know what a thrill it is to win the race and I'm chuffed to bits for her. It's women on top again.”

Pitman was at Aintree with her son Mark, who also trained Smarty to finish second in the race in 2001, to promote their racing club. Although she didn’t speak with Williams she added: “I wanted to congratulate her after the race but because we didn’t have the appropriate badges we weren’t allowed in the enclosure.

“In reality it was a double-edged sword. If I’d have walked up to her and said well done, some people might have miscon-strued it. It was her moment and I’ll be writing to her.

“I love it when the women do well. It was great when Henrietta (Knight) won three Gold Cups (with Best Mate). I was over the moon for her, it’s only natural. We are all similar people, Venetia and Henrietta are good women trainers and there are a lot of them.”