'I certainly wouldn't be where I am today without Richard'

Growing up, all I wanted to be was a jockey and Richard was brave enough to let me start riding out for him at the age of 13, although he crushed my dreams when he told me even then I was too big for a jockey. So I started thinking about being a trainer.

I spent my later years at school riding out for Richard in the holidays and working in the yard; I spent my gap year working in the yard as a lad and gained invaluable experience. I was also lucky enough to ride in a few point-of-points for him at the same time.

It was Richard who told me I'd be wasting my time going to university. Having seen an ad in the papers for a pupil-assistant role with Sir Mark Prescott, he said I'd be better off applying for that, which I duly did. I didn't quite get that job offer but the Nicholls pupil-assistant role came about.