'I was in a dark place - I thought about it every single day for two years. I blamed myself'

If you want to get to know Paddy Brennan, all you need to do is visit his downstairs loo.

Hung above the cistern, between pictures of his mud-splattered face and a stylish black and white photo of him suited and booted in the Fontwell weighing room with several of his colleagues you'd have to assume double as close friends, is a framed print titled "Paddy loves . . ."

Some of it needs no explanation. His wife Lindsey tops the list, the only entry more important than "winning races" – naturally. "Horses", his Ryanair and Gold Cup winner Imperial Commander gets a namecheck, as does his home county of Galway. "Friends and family" and "farm" are unsurprising entries, while "his iPad" raises a chuckle.