A family visit to Wetherby was the catalyst for my love of racing but it wasn’t until I was old enough (or looked old enough!) to bet on racing in the local betting shop that my interest in the sport grew beyond watching big races on either Grandstand or Channel 4 Racing. Like most teenagers I wasn’t a very successful gambler, but I had an analytical mind and decided I wanted to learn how to win.

So, I educated myself on the sport through books such as Andy Beyer’s Picking Winners, Nick Mordin’s Betting For A Living and Alan Potts’ Against The Crowd plus the work of several other authors.

Having sought work experience and part-time opportunities in the industry as a student I threw myself into a career in racing upon leaving University, initially working as a preview and comment writer for the Press Association, then as a broadcaster for Coral before getting an opportunity to join the pundit team on Racing UK, now Racing TV.

With a younger brother also obsessed by racing to spur me on I never tired in my pursuit of more knowledge and still feel like I’m learning all the time in my roles as a broadcaster, analyst, race planner and punter.

I’ve always loved the puzzle horse racing provides and from a young age got a real buzz out of form analysis, so on joining Timeform as a trainee reporter straight after completing my degree at Lancaster University I felt I’d landed a dream job.

I worked at Timeform for ten years, progressing to the role of Chief Reporter analysing most of the top-class racing under both codes. During this period I also began working as a TV pundit, initially for Attheraces and then moving onto Racing TV where you can still regularly hear me waffling about what remains my obsession.

I’m also a keen punter and, in partnership with Chris, use betting as a way to supplement my income.

Most of my professional life has been concerned in some way or other with horseracing. I started at Timeform as a trainee comment writer in 1991 when Steve Cauthen was still riding winners; and I left Timeform as their Flat editor in 2005 when Adam Kirby, James Doyle and Richard Kingscote were still claiming 7 lb.

Since then I’ve mainly been betting for a living, although I recently began writing again on a freelance basis.

My ideal day’s racing would be a crisp winter’s afternoon at Hexham followed by a pint in a pub with a real fire.

My favourite memory of watching our own horses in action was Pearl Nation’s final win in a Southwell claimer; soon after that, he headed off for a happy retirement. I missed Hakam’s victory in the Group 3 Polar Cup in Oslo due to a prior engagement with the sticky toffee pudding stall at Cartmel.

I don't have any family background in racing, my interest in the sport began from betting on the Grand National as a child and then going with a mate to various betting shops in my home town of Widnes and having 50p and quid bets when I should have been at school/sixth form.

By University I had realised it was possible to do it profitably instead of just guessing and took a job as a board marker in a betting shop which enabled me to watch all the racing, make mental notes and start taking it more seriously.

I learned how to recognise a good horse simply through watching a lot of races and backing Unsinkable Boxer for slightly more than I could afford to risk on several occasions made a big difference to my meagre finances at the time.

Moving on, I spent approximately 15 years at Timeform where I soon became a handicapper and combined the job with profitable betting which enabled me to move into ownership.

Shares in prolific winners such as Bridgewater Boys, Beckermet and Saif Sareea whetted my appetite for this side of the game and highlights have included winning the Swinton with the brilliant Red Merlin, a horse owned 50/50 with the Timeform Betfair Racing Club and superbly handled by Donald McCain.

It was also during my time at Timeform that I met both Richard O'Brien and Martin Dixon, both of whom I got along with extremely well. After leaving paid employment in 2014 I was delighted to get involved with the Rod in Pickle and Horse Watchers in which we have enjoyed some great success with Mick Appleby, who is not only an ace trainer but also a brilliant bloke.