Sight of Kauto bouncing back to his best outweighed lost wager on rival

My earliest racing memory was Frankie’s near-impossible feat of the seven-timer at Ascot in September 1996. I was only ten years old at the time and couldn't really appreciate the magnitude of it at all back then – I certainly do now.

However, it was the 2002 Scottish National meeting at Ayr that got me truly hooked on racing. Major meetings are few and far between north of the border but that Saturday showcased the highest quality of jumps racing I can remember. It was the year that Ruby steered Take Control to take the big one.

Watching Valley Henry destroy the field in the Future Champion Novices' Chase that year earned him a place in my heart – he's my favourite horse, although he never quite fulfilled his potential and struggled with that damned Cheltenham hill!