How did you first get involved in horse racing?

I was quite late getting into it, we always had a few Irish Draughts or half-breds at home. As far as horse racing went, I never really had any interest in it. I was 30 years of age before I really started to ride racehorses. My dad, God rest him, always told me not to go near the horses when I first started getting into them. He said they’d break me, and at least if I had a few bullocks or cattle about the yard, if I was stuck for a few pound, I could go and sell one, but a horse, you can’t.