'I'm either writing really good tweets or clearly not riding nearly enough winners' - meet the first jockey influencer

It says a lot about Alan Johns that instead of taking a rare opportunity to put his feet up after Newton Abbot was cancelled he is willing to spend the best part of a bonus day off being interviewed on a grey day in Cardiff – although the offer of a free meal might have swung it.

Following a quick exchange of messages on the morning in question, with the wet weather having also scuppered a plan to meet at Windsor, we decide catching up in an arcade in the seaside resort of Barry Island, made famous by Gavin and Stacey, would undoubtedly lend plenty of colour but might be a touch played out, so we opt for the safer route of meeting for lunch.

Less than 24 hours after hearing about the interview, Johns finds himself in the quietest available corner of a Bill's restaurant – hopefully not wondering how he ended up there – when we begin our conversation not on his aims for the jumps season but on his growing social media presence.