'He loved his horses. Not only did he train them, he made friends with them'

Tom Foley and Danoli played a huge part in my career and even thinking back on it now makes me emotional.

Tom broke his leg years before Danoli came along and needed a hand in the yard. I was an apprentice at the time and gladly helped him out on my lunch break for a few months until his leg got better.

He never forgot that and remained loyal to me throughout my career. People like Tom don’t come along very often. You’d sit and eat breakfast with Tom and what was put on the table for himself and his family was the same as what was laid out in front of you. He was a salt of the earth type of man and everyone loved him.

He loved his horses like nobody else I've seen. Not only did he train them, he made friends with them. He knew them intimately.

Tom Foley: 'People like Tom don't come along very often'Credit: Patrick McCann

I’ll never forget winning the Irish Hennessy Gold Cup at Leopardstown on Danoli for Tom in 1997 and even watching the race back now would give me goosebumps. Until the day I die, I will never forget meeting Tom on the way back into the Leopardstown parade ring after that race. The crowd carried us back into the winner’s enclosure.

I finished second to Istabraq in two Champion Hurdles at Cheltenham and nothing compares to the roar I experienced at Leopardstown that day. Whatever it was about Danoli or whatever it was about Tom, the crowd latched on to the story and whenever he won, they'd go absolutely mad. He had a massive following.

Tom gave me my best moment in racing that day at Leopardstown and I'm forever grateful to him. I count myself very lucky to have come across Danoli and more importantly for coming across a man like Tom. I’ll never forget him.

Read more:

Danoli trainer Tom Foley dies at the age of 74 after battle with cancer

Members can click here to download the digital newspaper every evening from 9pm. Not a member? Click here to sign up and enjoy the digital newspaper every day.