Tributes paid to Campbell Gillies whose ability to 'be one with the horse' marked him out as a 'truly great jockey' Former champion jockey Peter Scudamore, Russell's partner, said the yard was finding it hard to come to terms with the news of Gillies's death. "He was adored here," Scudamore said. He really was a special boy. He had charm, yet he could be cheeky. He had a delightful way about him. He could be cocky, but in the friendliest way. He loved people. He was James Dean. If you had told him he would die young, he would have laughed. The Foreign Office said local authorities were investigating the circumstances surrounding Gillies's death in Kavos. The jockey was on holiday with several racing colleagues because there was a blank spell for jumping in the north. He had ridden at Hexham only on Sunday. Russell paid a warm tribute to the young jockey. "He was a much-loved, popular and respected member at Arlary House, and it is so hard to lose a part of our family," she said. Our hearts go out to his mother Lesley, brother and sister, Finlay and Rita. Russell said that Gillies had gone on holiday with one of the yard's head lads, Mark Ellwood, as well as fellow jockeys Nathan Moscrop, Henry Brooke and Harry Haynes. She praised his ability and talent as a rider. We are immensely proud of the achievements of Campbell. More than that, he had a wonderful charm that I believe came across to everyone who met him and through his media interviews. Scudamore added: "His victory on Brindisi Breeze was the pinnacle of his career. The race epitomised him as a jockey, his belief, his confidence and his innate timing. He became one with the horse. This empathy and love of his horses was one of the reasons he was a truly great jockey. It certainly looked that way at Cheltenham, when the pair took the three mile novice hurdle by the scruff of the neck a long way out and came home two lengths clear of the red-hot favourite Boston Bob. It was also Russell's first Festival winner. Gillies first came to wider attention, however, riding Lie Forrit, a horse owned by his mother, uncle and grandfather. They had already won four races together and were going to win a fifth, a hurdle at Aintree in October 2009, when the horse jinked after hitting the front, and catapulted Gillies over the hurdle. As he got to his feet and tried to get out of the way, the horse flattened him. Amazingly he was not badly injured and next time out when the pair were reunited they won at Cheltenham's Open meeting. The young jockey's weighing-room colleagues paid tribute in a series of messages on Twitter. Paddy Brennan, the Gold Cup winning jockey, said: "The worst news you could possibly hear. Campbell you will be sadly missed by us all. Great jockey and even better bloke. Barry Geraghty, the Grand National winner, said: "Very sad news about Campbell Gillies. A very good rider and a lovely fella. He will be sadly missed. All our thoughts are with his family.