SUNDAY, December 12th, 2004. Eighteen-year-old Niall ‘Slippers’ Madden is sitting in his home in Navan waiting for time to tick by until he can make the short drive out to Navan racecourse to take up a fancied ride in the bumper, when he receives a phone call.

It’s Martin Brassil and he’s looking for a rider for his horse in the first, one with a right chance. The mount had come available late in the morning and with few options, the trainer turned to Madden, who he knew lived closed by.