'When you've been thinking about the title for years, it meant a lot to win it'

Race riding was not something I had ever shown any interest growing up, despite living in a racing yard.

I did a lot of eventing, pony club, showing, and I enjoyed going racing with Dad [Pat Doyle, handler], but I never rode out or had an interest in taking my rider’s licence out.

Sir Des Champs [winner of 11 of 25 races and £500,000/€572,000 prize-money] was the horse who changed all that. I started riding him out in the morning when I was 17 or 18 – so I was quite late starting – and that moved into schooling him over fences.