ON Monday week the gates at Roscommon will open for the first time this year, heralding the first of nine race meetings at the track. Michael Finneran is in his 20th year in charge of the racecourse and he came to the role with a deep love of horses and racing.

The intervening years have provided plenty of challenges but Michael is a man who looks for the positives and he continues to enjoy the role, making many friends on the journey.