Toby Lawes is probably a name not known to many outside Seven Burrows, but he is the lucky man who has been partnering Altior everyday for Nicky Henderson, and has decided to take out his own training licence.
Lawes has spent the last five years at Henderson's base in Lambourn, and has signed a contract to take over from David Arbuthnot's yard at Henfold House Stables.
He began riding in point-to-points when he was just 16 and has since had the pleasure of riding out 2017 King George VI Chase winner Might Bite and the sensational Altior – winner of his last 19 consecutive races including two Champions Chases.
Lawes revealed he has enjoyed every second of working under the genius of Henderson, but is ready to apply his own trade in the game.
(Credit: Racing Post) He said: "It's been the best five years of my life, every part of it has been fantastic, working with the most amazing trainer and team of staff, the most wonderful bunch of horses and most brilliant and kind owners.
"You look forward to getting out of bed every morning just to go and ride Altior and Might Bite. There's something so special about them and never before have I been around horses of that calibre. To get to ride them every day blew my mind and I had to pinch myself every day.
"The most amazing thing about Nicky is his wonderful patience with horses; he really allows a horse to come to its own and he's such a brilliant judge at knowing when that is. That's one of the key things I'll take from there.
"I've been so lucky to learn from Nicky, Corky [Browne], Charlie [Morlock] and everyone at Seven Barrows. I went there thinking I half-knew what I was doing, but I soon realised the scale of everything.
"I can't believe how much I've learned in the last five years," he finished.
Lawes is currently working through his essential training modules and hopes to be ready to start officially this autumn.
Arbuthnot will vacate Wates's Surrey yard having been left frustrated by the handling of a doping case, but will depart as one of the few men to win races at the Cheltenham Festival and at Royal Ascot.
The new man incoming joked how one of his training companions and highest profile jockeys in the game egged him on to take up the opportunity to train himself.
"A few people got the idea in their heads that I could start training this year, so I thought about it and how could I do it.
"This job came up and Nico de Boinville rang me and said, 'You've got to go for this. It'll be the most amazing job'."