Photo courtesy Chris Pitt
Marshalla Ali Salaman, the son of an Arab father, was born in Cardiff on March 14, 1945. Having been brought up in Wales, he was, unsurprisingly, always known as Taffy.
He had never sat on a horse when becoming apprenticed to Ryan Price at Findon, aged 15. A year later his indentures were transferred to Earl Jones, who trained at Hednesford.
He had his first ride for Jones on a horse named Burton Jack at Chepstow on Saturday, December 8, 1962, but more than five years passed before he rode his first winner, on the mare Milky Way, for Glamorgan-based owner-trainer Mrs Posey Lewis, at Taunton on Saturday, February 3, 1968.
His biggest win came on Dulwich in the 1974 Grand Annual Chase at Cheltenham. They were completing a five-timer as Taffy had ridden Dulwich to victory in his previous four races at Taunton, Windsor, Chepstow and Newbury.
He combined riding with training as his time in the saddle drew to a close.
He saddled Churchtown Boy to win the 1977 Topham Trophy and then to chase home Red Rum in the National two days later.
Taffy had three rides in the Grand National: 1974 Sixer (brought down 4th), 1976 Churchtown Boy (11th), and 1979 Churchtown Boy (brought down 22nd)
He sent out his last runner, Bellaharry, at Chepstow on August 31, 2009.