Grand National winner Liam Treadwell has been offered the chance to have his teeth fixed for free.
Liam, 23, was shocked when BBC racing pundit Clare Balding asked him to bare his gappy teeth in an interview moments after he had won the famous steeplechase.
She told him to “give us a big grin to the camera” and told him he could now afford to “get them done”.
Her comments prompted more than 2,000 people to complain to the BBC and media watchdog Ofcom.
But Liam, from Arundel, has had a couple of calls himself – from dentists keen to fix his teeth for free.
He has even taken one of them up on their offer and had a consultation in London yesterday.
He said: “I would never have even thought about going to get them done as it's not something that affects me.
“As a jockey it's the last thing on my mind but you don't get a lot for free in life so when it comes along you have to make the most of it.”
Liam, who learnt to ride at John Dunlop's Castle Stables in Arundel where his parents Mark and Lorraine work, is keen to get into the dentist's chair.
He said: “I'm not really scared of going to the dentist, in fact I'm looking forward to it.
“But if it will affect my racing then I won't have it done.
“I'm not prepared to miss rides because I've got to go to the dentist every week.”
But he said that claims by some national newspapers that his dental work would cost £20,000 were wide of the mark.
Life since his Grand National win has been a bit of a whirlwind for Liam but he has kept his feet firmly on the ground throughout the experience and focused on his riding.
He said: “It was a dream come true to win the National and it has made things easier for me and got me more rides.
“I'm just happy to be busy and riding well.”
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