'Deep down, I was sore not to ride them - but I had to put training first'

When you back yourself, you have to get it right and Declan Queally has more than justified his decision to concentrate on training winners rather than riding them.

It was a little over six years ago when he saw the wood for the trees. The rides had dried up. A decision was made.

It may have been the natural progression to follow in the footsteps of his father, also Declan, by turning his hand to training, but Queally has taken the operation to another level in a short space of time. His father, who remains the licence-holder, never trained more than two winners in a season; since assuming control, Queally jnr is in double digits for the fourth campaign in a row, already amassing his best tally this season with 18 on the board.