Guy Disney becomes first amputee jockey to win at professional racecourse in Britain after triumph in Royal Artillery Gold Cup  

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Captain Guy Disney made history at Sandown when becoming the first rider with a prosthetic leg to ride a winner in Britain.

Disney punched the air with delight and looked to the skies after Rathlin Rose landed an emotional success in the Royal Artillery Gold Cup.

Disney lost his lower right leg after being injured when his vehicle was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade while he was serving in Afghanistan in July 2009.

Guy Disney came third on Ballyallia Man in 2015 but managed to claim victory this time 

The officer in the Light Dragoons, who had ridden point in points before his injury, had his initial licence application to ride turned down by the BHA before the sport's ruling body were convinced Disney, 34, was safe to ride.

He had been third in the Royal Artillery Gold Cup on Ballyallia Man in 2015.

After winning on the David Pipe-trained 13-8 favourite, Disney said: 'To ride a winner here is very, very special. I've been phenomenally lucky, I've been amazingly well looked after since I got injured, people have had it far worse than I have. Some don't make it back.

'To get back on course and to have a ride for the Pipe stable is very special, it really is.

'I'm only in this position because of all the people around me from the moment I got injured, from the lad putting on a tourniquet and saving my life to the surgeons who looked after me in hospital, the physios who treated me, the people who helped me get my licence back and the Pipes, who have been amazing.

'It was quite frustrating when there was a lot of fuss for finishing third, anyone who is in this wants to win it and the attention then should have been on Jody (Sole) who won it, not on some one-legged bloke hobbling back in.

'It's just nice to go a few places better now.'

Disney lost his right leg after a grenade attack in Afghanistan back in 2009 

Pipe said: 'It's fantastic. Guy came down and schooled him last week. He jumps well and the horse is tailor made for the race.

'They went off quick and Guy took his time and crept into it. It's a fantastic race to win.

'He's inspirational to everyone. It puts things into context. We all get wrapped up in our own little world and that's me included. The reception he got when he came back in was superb.

'I didn't appreciate how big a thing it is. Guy was very excited about it. He was speechless afterwards and just said 'thank you'.'

Since losing his leg below the knee, Disney has been on trips to both the north and south Poles while he also returned to Afghanistan with his regiment for another tour of duty in 2012.

David Pipe labelled Disney as inspirational after achieving this significant triumph