The name Margaret Davin may not be instantly recognisable to everyone in the business of racing or breeding, but to anyone involved with the administration of the sport it will be well known and deeply respected. She has been a powerhouse in the sport now for some 15 years, and later this next month she will step away from her role as chief financial officer in Horse Racing Ireland. Yet she has shunned the limelight, instead giving her all to the sector behind the scenes.

Just the job title alone will give you an idea of the pivotal role she has played since joining the then Irish Horseracing Authority on the eve of the Millennium. Martin Moore was chief executive, succeeding Noel Ryan who died that year, 1999. Little did she know what lay ahead, but you get the impression that a challenge is what Margaret enjoys, and her meticulous attention to detail gives her a strength on which she and her colleagues could rely in times of trouble.