Famous Gold Cup started a love affair with racing that continues today

MY EARLIEST childhood memory is sitting on a picnic blanket on our living room floor when I was four getting ready to watch the 1989 Cheltenham Gold Cup. It was a tradition in our house growing up – every Grand National and Gold Cup was the same, a living room picnic and the best sport around on the TV.

Most people remember that as the year Dessie won the Gold Cup, but I remember it for cheering on Pegwell Bay and a young Carl Llewellyn. It was the start of a love affair with the horse and the sport that’s grown with every passing season.

Fast forward to 1991 and I recall my first Becher meeting – since 1992 I’ve been to every single Aintree meeting without fail. One of my favourite memories is going over to meet Ginger McCain and falling over! The legend of Aintree himself picked me up, shared a joke and told me what a pleasure it was to meet me – quite the opposite, the pleasure was all mine.