IT is often said that when it comes to finding a job, it’s all about getting a foot in the door. That saying is certainly true in my case; initially I went into Shark Hanlon’s picking stones, before eventually working my way up to become head lad.

None of my family had any direct involvement in racing but my dad liked to watch the horses on the telly. When I was very young, he allowed my two brothers and myself to place a bet on the Irish Grand National one year. Whether it was a good or bad thing, I picked the subsequent winner, The Bunny Boiler, and so began a lifelong passion for racing!