HALFWAY through a Maths degree I walked out from the University of Limerick library and drove home to tell my parents this wasn’t for me. I was going to be a jockey, live my childhood dream!

I never regretted that decision once. Not giving it a go would have been the regret. I have loved being a jockey. It was never easy but always interesting and often great fun. Riding good horses and winning big races was thrilling, satisfying even just to think about as I write.