'He was tiny but he had a great heart - I'll never forget him'

Before I hung up my stirrups and turned my hand to training with Paul Nicholls I had my fair share of glory in the saddle.

I joined the Nicholls stable in Ditcheat aged 11, when I started off just riding out, and at 16 I became his conditional. During my three years as a jockey I rode 50 winners and my fondest riding memories lie with the brilliant Brampour. Six months after leaving school in 2011 I was given a ride on him and he's a horse I will never forget.

He came ninth in the Triumph Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in 2011, ridden by Harry Skelton, and that October I won on him in a Listed hurdle race at Ascot. Just a couple of weeks later we secured another victory at Cheltenham in the Greatwood Handicap Hurdle.