IN the early 90s, small Irish trainers such as Tom Foley got the whole country behind them when horses of the calibre of Danoli romped to Cheltenham success. In more recent seasons the bigger yards have tended to dominate at the Festival but next Friday I am hoping to strike a blow for the smaller man when Burning Ambition lines up for the Foxhunters Chase.

As a nephew of the great Con Power and first cousin of Gold Cup-winning jockey, Robbie Power, I was steeped in horses from a young age. While Richard Dunwoody was my idol growing up, any ambitions I had to become a jockey went out the window when I grew to 6’5! My initial involvement with horses came about through point-to-pointers that my Aunt Helen kept at home. I later moved on to eventing and show jumping.