When he won the Weatherbys Super Sprint it put us back on the map

Ballad Singer, June 1974

My first winner, on my 13th ride. I was in the second year of my apprenticeship with Reg Akehurst, and I'd just had a pay rise to the vast amount of £2.50 a week. Ballad Singer won on the Ascot Heath day after the royal meeting, and all the other lads in the yard took me to the British Legion in Lambourn to celebrate. Problem was that I'd had to waste down to do 7st 2lb, and I had terrible stomach cramps all evening -it took the edge off the celebrations a bit.

Lord Kintyre, July 1997