I’ve been looking over my betting years, looking at those bets that could have come in, didn’t come in, and those that really did come in. You certainly do remember those that come in - those that make a huge difference to the size of your wallet. Here are my favourite ever betting moments, in reverse order:

5. Monty’s Pass at Aintree: There has to be at least one Grand National moment, simply because you can gloat to everyone in the country, seeing as everyone has a bet on the Grand National. Mine was Monty’s Pass, which came in at a very sizeable 16/1 for me. I was there in Liverpool that day, a day that changed my vision of the National for good. I was so sure that Monty’s Pass was going to romp home, I put on several hundred quid before the race. I was not alone - his trainer also whacked on about 150,000. I had so much confidence. So much in fact that I topped up on the racecourse at 15/1 (boo) and even got the second-placed horse each-way. Seeing Monty’s Pass stroll home down that long straight was amazing - it was nothing like what you see on TV - and you hardly see anything at the course when you’re there. All you can see is tarts in miniskirts and boozed-up scousers trying to stand up without vomiting. But it was worth it for Monty.

4. Rail Link at Longchamp: Oh, but only if I had put the money on. The heart had ruled the head, and my favourite horse of all time, Hurricane Run, was going in the Arc. I had to bet on Hurricane, after all the winnings it had made me. But I ignored even my own advice. While everyone else was betting on a Japanese horse that was made a ridiculous 1/10 with the French bookmakers, the PMU, I was undecided on whether to follow my heart or my head. In the end, the heart overruled, but the head knew I was wrong. Still, everyone else followed my advice correctly without the heart to overrule them, and Rail Link came in at 25/1. I couldn’t bet again for a year, I was dumbstruck. I couldn’t speak after the race. Hurricane Run came in a dismal fourth, having never really got going.

3. Six consecutive winners at Vincennes: Have you ever been to a trotting meet? It’s incredible. I couldn’t believe it when I went for the first time, but this kind of horse racing is the working class meat and veg of French horse racing. Flat racing is for royalty, Trotting is for the peuple! It was a cold wet February Sunday, and the Prix de l’Amerique was the highlight of the meeting. An annual festival of trotting, over 40,000 people were present, dressed in all colours, waving flags for their own region, representing their horses and cheering like mad. I had never been to a trotting meeting before, but I had the ever-useful Paris Turf newspaper with me. The first race was awful, but the second provided a first winner. The third provided a jumele gagnant (reverse forecast) 1-2 and the fourth provided another winner. And on, and on, and on… the Swedish guys next to me couldn’t believe that I was picking so many winners, and I guaranteed them that it was a freak happening with a loss in the last race. Six consecutive winners at Vincennes, a feat I have never repeated, and am never likely to repeat again.

2. Everton to win the Cup in 1995: As a bluenose, I can be forgiven for believing that Everton will win the FA Cup every single year, but 1995 seemed like a very special year. The previous year we had just about cheated our way out of relegation despite having the useless Mike Walker in charge. He soon departed, after losing the first 14 games of the 94-95 season, and in came God - Joe Royle. Our form from the minute he arrived was Championship form - and it was so easy: get Hinchcliffe to take loads of corners. That’s how it worked. I knew from the minute Jackson hit the winner at Bristol City in the 3rd round that Joe Royle would win us the Cup. Before then - and ever since - I have never felt that confident. And there it was in May - Paul Rideout of all people, heading in the only goal to beat United, and Neville Southall in one of his last games for the club, keeping out the whole Utd team single-handedly. Brilliant.

1. Hurricane Run in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe: I will say this until I’m blue in the face - the Arc is actually quite easy if you know how. Hurricane Run was my pick from the start of the season and I put my money on Ante-Post. So much so that by the time the race was about to start, I just started to have a few doubts. But the omens were there. Dark skies, rain, thunder - a hurricane no less. There could be no other winner! Hurricane Run won this easily - and won me more money than any other horse. It would also lose me some potential winnings in the year to come, but this moment was the fulfilment of everything the Arc is meant to be. Get in!