THIS week we are celebrating our first Grade 1 winner of the season. It came in the shape of Irving in the Fighting Fifth up at Newcastle last week. I was very privileged to get the job of driving him up to Newcastle.

Holly White, Irving’s lass, Gemma Groves and myself left early on Friday morning to beat the traffic and arrived in Newcastle some eight hours later. I was fortunate enough two seasons ago to saddle Irving when he won it then and this time, on his seasonal debut, we were hopeful that the spark remained.