Rawnaq retained his unbeaten record this season, when winning the Grade 1 American Grand National at Far Hills on Saturday afternoon. Ridden by Ruby Walsh, he was scoring for the second time at the highest level, leaving us with dreams of Cheltenham next March, where he chases a half a million dollar bonus in the World Hurdle.

I was born in Dunhill, Co Waterford, just a couple of miles from Henry de Bromhead’s stables. Although my family had no involvement in racing, like any Irish people, we knew someone who owned a horse.