My earliest memory of racing was at Ascot when I was around seven years old, going with a group of friends. We returned for a couple of years after that, though I don’t remember much about the actual races, what I do remember is hearing “Sex on Fire” by Kings of Leon for the first time, and wearing a purple coat I absolutely hated, one my mum insisted I wear. Now, fifteen years later, I kind of wish I still had that coat.

I’ve grown up around horses and have ridden for as long as I can remember. As a kid, when I wanted to watch horse movies, it was always Seabiscuit or Secretariat. That’s where my love for racing really started. Watching those stories unfold, each horse facing different obstacles but both rising to greatness, made the sport feel magical. That’s why I love racing.

My mum once told me a story from before I was born. She’d bet on a horse over a series of National Hunt races. It had won every one and became the favourite. Then, in the final race, it fell at the last fence. Just like that, all the money people stood to win including my mum was gone. Heartbreaking, yes, but that unpredictability? That’s why I love racing.

It’s not just about betting. It’s about everything else surrounding it. The trainers who spend years preparing these horses. The jockeys who ride multiple races in a day, staying incredibly fit, and yet a single misstep can change everything. I once saw a horse in first place at Cheltenham trip on a strip of all weather in the last furlong with no jumps left and the jockey fell. Half the crowd gasped in shock while the other half roared with hope. No two races are the same. Who would’ve thought an all weather path could rewrite the ending? That’s why I love racing.

Every race is more than just speed. There’s strategy. A jockey who misjudges pace might move too early, only for their horse to fade before the finish. Wait too long, and the opportunity is gone. It’s a split-second decision, and everything depends on how well they adapt in real time. That’s why I love racing.

And in racing, there’s always another day. A new name to learn. A fresh story to follow. People go to the races for different reasons; fashion, horses, or just a day out, but they stay for the same reason: it brings people together. Someone who came for the fashion might end up cheering beside someone who’s studied the form for days. They’ll go home and tell their friends about it, both with the same excitement. You don’t just turn up to a rugby match for a social day out, you go to watch the game, but with racing the diversity of the crowd and why they have come is part of the magic. That’s why I love racing.

Racing has taught me that everything can change in a second. That it’s okay to lose. That life keeps moving forward. It’s taught me about money, when to spend when to hold back (with help from my mum, who policed my early bets). It’s become more than just a sport. It has taught me life lessons, even if I didn’t realise it at the time.

Everyone has a different story about how they got into racing. A different reason they stayed. A different instinct about which horse to back, but in the end, we’re all chasing the same thrill.

That is why I love racing.