number of times I've burnt toast since.
People who know you now would be
surprised to discover that you ever
lacked confidence. Where did you find
it?
Acting was a massive thing. I did a play
when I was 13 – can you believe it, it was
The Jockey Club Stakes by William Doug-
las-Home – and realised I could do it better
than the others. That made a big differ-
ence. Then there was the floor of the Stock
Exchange, a great place to learn about life.
It was full of characters, and you had the
mickey taken out of you the whole time,
nobody stands on ceremony and basically
you're a piece of meat and learn to deal
with it. I made some great friends there,
who I still see, and that was a very forma-
tive period. But I have to say the life-chang-
ing moment was getting a job for Barry
Weisbord [president and co-publisher of
TDN] at Matchmaker when I then went out
to Kentucky. He'd never squash you, even
for the most ridiculous idea. His son Brad-
ley now works with me as Al Shaqab's U.S.
representative, and we're also in partner-
ship in Highclere America. How time flies!
Proudest moment?
Without doubt the day Petrushka won the
Irish Oaks, the first syndicate-owned Clas-
sic winner. I remember Dad calling to con-
gratulate me and he couldn't get the words
out. That wasn't necessarily him, everyone
knows I'm always in floods but it was some-
thing to hear him choking as well. And then
of course Motivator winning the Derby. He
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