Aidan Coleman surpassed 1,000 career winners as a jockey on Saturday evening, when he guided the Charlie Longsdon-trained Western Miller to victory at Stratford.
The Irishman rode the eight-year-old to victory in the Timy Cup Handicap Chase, to join a select group involved in the coveted '1000 club'.
The 30-year-old - who has ridden many JP McManus horse's in the past, has had a miserable record at the Cheltenham Festival in recent years, but his fortunes reversed earlier this year when he landed Grade One glory aboard Paisley Park in the Stayers Hurdle.
Coleman has been aboard Andrew Gemmell's seven-year-old on all his four starts last season, which also featured victories in the Cleeve Hurdle and the JLT Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot.
Speaking to Racing TV, Coleman said: “It’s taken me nearly 13 years, but it’s great to do it. It’s a fantastic personal achievement, whether it means anything in the great scheme of things, I don’t know, but to me it’s quite a milestone.
“It’s so competitive these days – I’m 30 now and it’s taken me this long to get there. Maybe by the time I retire I might get 2,000 on the board, but I’ll appreciate this one now. It’s a huge personal milestone.
“It’s great to do it for Charlie as well. I’ve had a lot of support over the years, but Charlie has definitely been one of my main suppliers.
“I’ve been very fortunate in my career, I’ve always had very good people to ride for. Venetia (Williams) for years, the Bloomfields job for John Ferguson, which was very short, but very sweet at the same time, I really enjoyed that, and then Jonjo (O’Neill) and Olly (Murphy) recently.
“I’ve had an awful lot of support and I’m very thankful for all of it," he finished.
Discussing the success he has amassed on the Stayers hero, Coleman added he really owes it to the horse trained by Emma Lavelle.
(Credit: Racing TV) He said: “I really appreciate finding Paisley Park.
"It’s 1,000 winners now and it wasn’t far off 1,000 without having a Grade One, which would have been an achievement in itself, but not for the right reasons."
Coleman will not be stopping anytime soon, with two booked rides at Bangor-on-dee on Wednesday, and a further five before he joins up with the Oliver Sherwood-trained Got Away, in the Sam Morshead Perth Gold Cup Handicap Chase on Sunday.