My story

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How it all began

I had no interest in any kind of sport at school. I actually hated it because I was useless at it. In 1970 (just over a year after leaving school), I was on one of my then-regular holidays in Montrose when, uncharacteristically, it rained the whole time. So I was stuck indoors and ended up watching the horse racing on TV. My interest in the sport was sparked by two things.

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  I got lucky with some small bets that I placed to sustain an interest, having braved the rain to get to the bookmakers and back again.
  
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  I saw an amazing performance by a young horse called Mill Reef, little knowing just what an impact he would make in the years to come, first on the racecourse and later at stud.
  

After that, I was hooked on racing. I learned that I could enjoy sport as a spectator but although I have since taken an interest in a variety of spectator sports, horse racing remains my favorite.