When I got my MBE for services to horseracing in the new year honours list, I initially thought it was just another circular. I’d had a few from the Conservative party and the envelope said “Cabinet Office”. It was a great surprise and I’m very honoured to receive it.
A local trainer took me to Aintree and I led up Sir Mark Prescott as a jockey, then went to work for Toby Balding that summer; I considered him and