'I started aged 14 with the stipulation I still got my GCSEs - but my parents just said I had to get them, not how good they had to be!'

When preparing for an interview, you always hope the subject turns up in a good mood and ready to open up. Thankfully, I am assured of that almost immediately on arriving at Chelmsford on a sunny Tuesday evening.

I’ve arranged to speak to Hector Crouch in a handy two-hour gap between his rides, and to both of our delight he is soon trotting into the winner's enclosure after victory on Chesneys Charm. Even if he'd lost, though, Crouch would be justified in still feeling on top of the world. 

After receiving his latest acclaim, we settle down on a bench at the back of the weighing room, a scene that has a touch less glamour about it than the primary reason for our meeting: to discuss the realisation of a lifelong dream when Crouch secured a maiden Group 1 and Classic victory all rolled into one in last month’s Irish Oaks.