Having left home to start working with horses at the tender age of 14, I am thankfully still going strong six decades later. For the last 26 years, I have been employed as Travelling Head Lad to Paul Nolan, a job I thoroughly enjoy.

Although born in Kilcullen, I moved with my family to Roundwood, Co Wicklow, when I was just two years old. I went to primary school in the village and later spent a few years at the Christian Brothers secondary school. To be honest, the only thing I was interested in reading was the racing pages and, from a young age, I was fascinated by legends such as Arkle, Mill House, Pat Taaffe, Willie Robinson and my personal favourite, Fred Winter.