'I went into the pub, very much under-age, and drew Foinavon out of the hat'

Andy Stewart had been involved in horses for many years before he found huge success with Paul Nicholls in the 2000s, most notably through the legendary staying hurdler Big Buck's. Peter Thomas caught up with him to find out how he took his first steps into ownership.

Before I went off to boarding school I used to sit and watch the racing with my mother, who was a leading eye surgeon, and I was fascinated by it. Sir Peter O'Sullevan, who went on to become a great friend of mine, was doing the commentaries and it got me hooked.

When I was 15 and I'd been thrown out of school, I hitch-hiked from my parents' house in Chelmsford to Liverpool for the 1967 Grand National, went into a pub, very much under-age, and drew Foinavon out of the hat in the sweepstake. So I had to go and have a few bob on it as well, at about 125-1, and I certainly didn't have to hitchhike back to Essex – I went by train, first class.