'I can tell you the Reuben Brothers do not make a glorious return' - former Arc chairman David Thorpe looks back

For someone who was at the heart of the rough and tumble of British racing's politics for two decades, David Thorpe has emerged remarkably unscathed from what many others have found to be a bruising experience.

From the turmoil of the infamous European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruling in 2004 which cut the legs from British racing's plans to replace the levy, to the creation of a new governance structure for the sport last year, Thorpe has been a key witness to the intrigue and upheaval as part of his many roles in racing with the Racecourse Association (RCA), BHA, Levy Board and Arena Racing Company (Arc).

Thorpe, 73, stepped down from his nine-year tenure as chairman of Arc at the end of April, allowing him to reflect on his time in the thick of racing politics.