HORSE Racing Buddy Club, a new venture with five horses in training, is a vision I have had for some time. The intention was to form a large community of like-minded individuals who enjoy racing and wish to have a small interest in a number of horses at an affordable price. Thankfully the uptake has been strong and we are looking forward to having runners over the Christmas period.

Similar to most kids without a racing background, I was introduced to the sport through the Grand National. I think Papillon was the only winner I found in those early years but it sparked my interest in the sport. In my teens, a group of us used to head to the local bookies during Cheltenham week to place a couple of small bets. We would then sit at the back of the class, waiting on the results to filter through.