Sports stars and clubs across the world continue to provide an insight into their lives on social media.

Here, the PA news agency looks at some of the best examples from May 30.

A proud father… as Sheffield Wednesday celebrated promotion.

Peter Crouch enjoyed Wembley!

Anyone for a trim? I will if you do….

Manchester United’s players enjoyed their end-of-season awards ceremony.

Rob Edwards… boss first, entertainer second.

Luton celebrated their promotion.

Bukayo Saka signed off for the season.

Happy birthday.

Forest turned the clock back.

Gary, Roy, Jill and Micah got together ahead of Wembley’s Manchester derby.

Leigh Wood celebrated.

Conor McGregor was all about the cash.

Esteban Ocon took his Monaco trophy for a ride.

McLaren flashback.

Daniel Ricciardo and Kylie Minogue had fun in Monaco.

Bottas was out on his bike.

Partick Thistle manager Kris Doolan has welcomed the return of Stuart Bannigan to add even more experience to his confident side ahead of their play-off final against Ross County.

The 30-year-old midfielder suffered a calf strain in the first half of Thistle’s quarter-final first-leg win over Queen’s Park, while Cammy Smith is also set to return after missing the semi-final games against Ayr with a groin issue.

The Jags have scored 16 goals in the cinch Premiership play-offs so far and Doolan has backed his players to handle the occasion ahead of Thursday’s first leg at Firhill.

“Stuart is back training now which is brilliant,” he said. “A guy like Stuart Bannigan coming back in lifts a team even more, as if they needed anything else to lift them. Even just to see him in training again… the boys got a wee spring in their step.

“He is such a big player for us and it’s great to see him back there leading within a group. I see a lot of leaders in the team and Stuart is one of them.

“You need that type of experience at this stage and it rubs off on the younger ones. They learn how to carry themselves, not to get carried away, not to get flustered and to enjoy it, embrace it.

“The play-off games are notoriously frantic and you have to understand how to handle that, but we have a lot of seasoned professionals, guys who have been through these type of games before, have played in the Premiership and top end of the Championship.

“We have good players who can handle the pressure. That’s shown in the four games we have had, we have not only scraped through the games, we have come flying through the games.”

Thistle have had a week to prepare for both legs against Ayr and will go into Thursday’s game with two more days of rest than County.

“I feel as if we are in the best shape we can be in,” Doolan said. “I think the boys have learned a lot about dealing with the play-offs, we have had four games under that pressure and scored 16 goals.

“To handle that type of pressure in the play-offs is a big feather in the cap of those players because I have been in the flipside of it. I have been in the Premiership side coming into the play-offs off the back of a season where you are used to losing games, and it becomes really difficult to turn a team round who have such good momentum.

“The four games we have had have been a great learning curve but also made us get stronger.

“If you are winning games, you don’t feel tired, you don’t feel sluggish. Our boys are desperate to play and they are full of energy.

“The confidence we have, we don’t come into these games fearful. We will be understanding of how difficult it is, we will give respect to Ross County because they are the Premiership side, but we play to win in every game and I see that mentality day in, day out.”

Pascal Bary has confirmed his unbeaten colt Feed The Flame will be supplemented for Sunday’s Prix du Jockey Club at Chantilly.

The son of Kingman was unraced at two after a series of niggly problems, which meant Bary did not consider him as a suitable candidate to be part of the original entries.

However, he made a winning debut earlier this year, triumphing by five and a half lengths at ParisLongchamp, before returning that venue to beat subsequent Prix Hocquart winner First Minister with ease.

Bary, who holds the best record in the Prix du Jockey Club among currently active trainers with six wins, said: “Feed The Flame had a few issues at two and it was only in February that he started to come to hand and he has improved throughout with each run.

“He has only run twice, but he is professional enough that he can handle the Prix du Jockey Club.

“He’s a very big horse and like all big horses, he needed time to grow into himself. At the time the entries were made I never thought he’d be running this Sunday, but he has been supplemented.

“He only made his debut six weeks ago. I thought he would win but I didn’t think he would win that easily.

“We then ran him again quickly because I felt if he had any chance of running in this, he would need time between a second run and a Classic. When he won easily again we then made the decision the supplement him.”

Christophe Soumillon will maintain his partnership on the colt, the trainer also reported.

Bary’s six winners in the French Derby are Celtic Arms (1994), Ragmar (1996), Dream Well (1998), Sulamani (2002), Blue Canari (2004) and Study of Man (2018), with Celtic Arms, Ragmar and Blue Canari all sporting the Jean-Louis Bouchard silks that Feed The Flame will wear.

A total of 12 horses remain from the original entries, with supplementary contenders officially announced on Wednesday.

Among his potential rivals are French Guineas winner Marhaba Ya Sanafi, Andre Fabre’s Flight Leader, Christopher Head’s Big Rock and John and Thady Gosden’s Epictetus.

Coventry have confirmed Fankaty Dabo will leave the club at the end of the current season days after his decisive penalty miss in the Sky Bet Championship play-off final against Luton.

The defender has been with the Sky Blues since 2019 and joins Julien Dacosta, Todd Kane, Sean Maguire, Michael Rose, Martyn Waghorn and Tyler Walker in leaving the club when their contracts expire.

Loan players Jonathan Panzo, Callum Doyle, Brooke Norton-Cuffy, Josh Wilson-Esbrand and Luke McNally will return to their parent clubs.

Manager Mark Robins thanked those leaving, and paid tribute to Dabo and Rose for playing key roles in Coventry’s League One success in 2019-20.

He told the club website: “I would like to thank those who are leaving for their time with us, the contributions that they have made to Coventry City, and wish them all of the best for their future careers.

“In particular, Fankaty Dabo and Michael Rose were huge parts of the side that won the League One title and then established us in the Championship.

“They will both be fondly remembered for many years to come by all Sky Blues fans, and the outpouring of support for Fanky (Dabo) from our supporters following Saturday goes to show the esteem he is held in.”

Ireland head coach Andy Farrell has named four uncapped players in a 42-man training squad ahead of the Rugby World Cup.

Munster wing Calvin Nash, Leinster backs Ciaran Frawley and Jamie Osborne and Ulster hooker Tom Stewart have all been included.

Leinster back Jordan Larmour and Munster fly-half Joey Carbery miss out, though, for a first block of training that starts on June 18.

Ireland have World Cup warm-up games against Italy, England and Samoa in August, with their tournament opener coming against Romania in Bordeaux on September 9.

A warm-weather training camp in Portugal is also planned for August before Farrell confirms his 33-player World Cup squad.

“It is exciting to announce our extended training squad for the first phase of Rugby World Cup preparations, and we are looking forward to assembling in Dublin next month to hit the ground running as a group,” Farrell told irishrugby.ie.

“It is pleasing to see that selection has been as tough as ever, as real quality players have initially been unfortunate to have missed out.

“I am sure that camp will be competitive enough as we grow minds and bodies and look to push on with our game from last season.

“In the meantime, it’s important that we freshen up for a busy and exciting summer ahead so we are ready to get to work on June 18.”

Training squad: Backs – B Aki (Connacht), C Blade (Connacht), R Byrne (Leinster), C Casey (Munster), J Crowley (Munster), K Earls (Munster), C Frawley (Leinster), J Gibson-Park (Leinster), M Hansen (Connacht), R Henshaw (Leinster), H Keenan (Leinster), J Lowe (Leinster), S McCloskey (Ulster), C Murray (Munster), C Nash (Munster), J O’Brien (Leinster), J Osborne (Leinster), G Ringrose (Leinster), J Sexton (Leinster), J Stockdale (Ulster).

Forwards – R Baird (Leinster), F Bealham (Connacht), T Beirne (Munster), J Conan (Leinster), G Coombes (Munster), C Doris (Leinster), T Furlong (Leinster), C Healy (Leinster), I Henderson (Ulster), R Herring (Ulster), R Kelleher (Leinster), D Kilcoyne (Munster), J McCarthy (Leinster), P O’Mahony (Munster), T O’Toole (Ulster), A Porter (Leinster), C Prendergast (Connacht), J Ryan (Leinster), D Sheehan (Leinster), T Stewart (Ulster), K Treadwell (Ulster), J van der Flier (Leinster).

Hull KR prop forward Sam Luckley insists fulfilling his “boyhood dream” of playing at St James’ Park will never get old as he prepares for his third Magic Weekend.

Super League’s showcase event returns to Newcastle with six fixtures taking place across Saturday and Sunday.

Luckley, who grew up in North Shields, has featured in two Magic Weekends previously for Salford and says playing at the home of his beloved Newcastle United is “mesmerising”.

“I’m absolutely buzzing,” the 27-year-old told PA news agency. “I’ve played here twice before and it’s just mesmerising.

“I love coming and playing at this stadium. It’s a big do for all my friends and family as well, it’s a big build-up. I just try not to think about it too much, but I can’t wait to get on the pitch.

“When you come out for warm-up and stuff, the sprinklers are on… it feels like I should be wearing the number nine shirt!

“It’s brilliant, you can’t put it into words. It’s a boyhood dream.”

Hull KR face Luckley’s former club Salford in the 1330 kick-off on Saturday in what looks set to be a tight contest, with both teams locked on 16 points in the table.

Last time he played at St James’ Park, Luckley scored a try in front of the Gallowgate End – celebrating with an Alan Shearer-style raised hand – and would love the chance to do so again.

He said: “I thought if I do score, I’ve got to do it, in front of the Gallowgate as well… I don’t really get many tries so I’ve got to take it when it comes along.

“I’ll 100 per cent be doing it again… If I get through, if I get the chance, I will!”

He insists, though, that he would value a victory over personal glory.

“I haven’t won here yet,” he said. “We lost against Castleford when I was playing for Salford and we lost again to Huddersfield when I scored my try, so I’ll trade all the tries in for a win. We’ll have a big push for that on Saturday.”

The future of Magic Weekend is up in the air, with global sports media company IMG having been commissioned to “reimagine” rugby league in its role as the sport’s long-term strategic partner, but Luckley feels it is a “great spectacle” and “can’t be anything but good”.

“It’s great for the sport,” he said. “Just look at the NRL, they’ve got a Magic Round as well and they’re loving it.

“It’s a great spectacle for our sport and getting people who don’t watch rugby into rugby league over a weekend like this in a big football stadium in a big city… It can’t be anything but good.

“It doesn’t just have to be Newcastle, it could be anywhere. I think, being a bit biased, St James’ Park is a great spot, the pubs are down the road, shops down the road…

“I’d be more than happy to go somewhere else to try it out but I think you’ve got to get the location right.”

Hearts captain Craig Gordon believes Steven Naismith could not have done much more in his interim reign and feels the squad would be happy for the former Scotland forward to get an extended run at the job.

The Tynecastle board are discussing the managerial vacancy this week, with some directors reported to be in favour in handing Naismith a permanent contract after he led Hearts to European qualification.

After succeeding Robbie Neilson on the back of five consecutive defeats which saw Hearts slip to fourth, Naismith won two and drew three of his seven games in charge as the Jambos finished three points behind third-placed Aberdeen.

Gordon, who was speaking at Camstradden Primary School in Drumchapel to highlight the work of the Scottish Football Association’s Learning Through Football programme, said: “He has stepped up for the last seven games and everybody within the squad has been very happy with the way things have gone and how he has gone about it.

“The players bought into everything he was trying to get them to do. He spoke really well in team meetings.

“I think the players would be happy with that (Naismith getting the job). We will see what happens over the next week or so when the board gets together and what options they have. But certainly I think he did pretty well over those seven games.

“He is very driven, and very clear in what he is looking for from the players. It’s been a big seven weeks for him to come in and the games we have faced but he has got a response from the players.

“He did a very good job. Whether he becomes the full-time manager or not, I think he can hold his head up high because it was a difficult time to come in, we were on a very bad run of form, and we managed to pick up a little bit and turn things around. From his point of view he couldn’t have done much more.”

Gordon played with Naismith for many years for Scotland before they linked up on the park with Hearts.

“As a player you absolutely saw he had that drive and the love of the game to go into coaching,” the goalkeeper said.

“He has always seen the game really well as a player and able to talk others through the game.

“He got into the B team at Hearts and done very well over the season and improved a lot of the players, and I think that’s a great sign as a young coach.”

Gordon is aiming to be involved under Naismith or a new manager after missing the second half of the season following a double leg break on Boxing Day, but he will not be fully fit for the start of pre-season.

“I have a big summer of rehab,” the 40-year-old said. “I will be working in the gym with the physios right throughout the off-season, and then I have got to go back and see the surgeons again in the middle of July and see how things are progressing.

“I will probably know a little more about how long it’s going to take after that.”

Sixteen-year-old Mirra Andreeva believes Andy Murray is her lucky charm after she claimed her first senior grand slam victory at the French Open.

The Russian, who only celebrated her birthday last month, has been making rapid strides in the women’s game and brushed aside experienced American Alison Riske-Amritraj 6-2 6-1 at Roland Garros.

That followed a breakthrough week at the Madrid Open when Andreeva reached the fourth round and revealed herself to be a big fan of Murray.

“When you’re here and take a lunch with all these stars, you see Andy Murray, you see his face and he’s so beautiful in life, he is so amazing,” she told Tennis Channel.

“Imagine how good she’s going to be when she gets her eyes fixed,” was Murray’s self-deprecating response.

But the pair have kept in touch and Andreeva said on Tuesday: “I didn’t see Andy Murray since Madrid because he is not here but, after he won a Challenger, I texted him.

“I said, ‘Congratulations’. He actually answered me, so I was really happy about it. He said, ‘Thank you and good luck in Roland Garros’. Maybe that’s why I’m playing that good now.”

Andreeva was runner-up in the girls’ singles at the Australian Open but has had no problem adjusting to life on the women’s tour and, after winning three matches in qualifying in Paris and one in the main draw, she is closing in on a place in the top 100.

“Of course, it feels amazing for me,” said the teenager. “I’m really excited that I managed to win this match after passing the qualis draw. So, of course, I’m really happy, and I’m looking forward to playing the next round.”

Last year’s beaten finalist Coco Gauff looked in trouble at a set down to Spaniard Rebeka Masarova but she responded well to win 3-6 6-1 6-2.

Sixth seed Ons Jabeur suffered a shock first-round exit last year when she was among the title favourites but eased through this time, beating Lucia Bronzetti 6-4 6-1.

The Tunisian said: “Playing on Philippe Chatrier is such a beautiful court, but I don’t have a good history with it. Every first round is very difficult in a grand slam. I was pretty stressed, I’ve got to say, but I was just trying to play my game.”

Dermot Weld has paid tribute to 2010 Ascot Gold Cup winner Rite Of Passage after the Irish National Stud announced his death at the age of 19.

Trained by Weld for owner Dr Ronan Lambe, Rite Of Passage was placed twice at the Cheltenham Festival, taking third in the 2009 Champion Bumper before having to settle for the same position in the Neptune Investment Management Novices’ Hurdle the following season.

That defeat was followed by an audacious bid for Gold Cup glory at the Royal meeting and ridden by Pat Smullen, Rite Of Passage dug deep to fend off the challenge of Age Of Aquarius by a neck at odds of 20-1.

Rite Of Passage ran just twice more after that success, winning the 2012 British Champions Long Distance Cup off a 510-day break on what was the final outing of his 12-race career.

Weld said: “He got a brilliant ride from Pat Smullen and came back two years later to win the Long Distance Cup on Champions Day. He was difficult to keep sound, but he was an extremely talented and courageous racehorse. His performance in the Gold Cup was one of the best for many decades.

“He had a wonderful retirement in the National Stud, he looked magnificent and his fabulous care is a great credit to the team at the National Stud. When I went to see him recently, he came straight over to me and reminded me of what an outstanding individual he was.”

INS CEO Cathal Beale said, “Coming on the back of the recent loss of Kicking King, it is a sad day to report the passing of Rite Of Passage. He was a lovely, gentle horse who lived out his days receiving the greatest of care from all the team here.

“I would like to thank his connections for entrusting him to us and pay special tribute once again to Leona Harmon who cares for all our horses with such great affection.

“He will be deeply missed by all of us.”

London Irish look set to be granted a short deadline extension by the Rugby Football Union as they try to complete a takeover deal with an American consortium.

Irish had faced the possibility of suspension from the Gallagher Premiership on Wednesday as their hopes of meeting an RFU deadline regarding their finances for next season appeared bleak.

The RFU had set a deadline of close of business on Tuesday for a takeover of the club to be completed and approved by Twickenham chiefs, or the club showing that it will continue to be funded to operate throughout next term.

The RFU said in a statement earlier this month: “If the club fails to meet these conditions, it will be suspended from participating in the Premiership (and other competitions) in season 2023-24 to avoid a scenario where the club enters insolvency mid-season, with the corresponding and substantial impact that has on players, staff and fans, as well as on the remainder of the league.”

The RFU’s club financial viability working group had a meeting scheduled on Tuesday evening before making a recommendation to the RFU board on Wednesday, which would be followed by an official announcement.

It is understood that recommendation is likely to comprise a deadline extension – possibly of a week – although it would be conditional on Irish players’ May salaries being met by the club’s current ownership.

Irish have been in grave danger of becoming the third club after Wasps and Worcester to depart the Premiership this season.

And while that scenario might still unfold, there now appears to be a glimmer of hope for the Exiles, who finished fifth in the Premiership this season under rugby director Declan Kidney.

Wasps must begin rebuilding from the bottom of the league pyramid after the RFU revoked their licence to play in next season’s Championship.

Hopes that new owners HALO22 Limited could relaunch Wasps in the second tier were dashed due to their failure to meet an RFU deadline for proving the club could still operate at the required level.

Wasps entered administration in December because of debts totalling £95million, and as a result were removed from the Premiership.

And ambitions that Worcester could be relaunched in the Championship ended because of a dispute over terms between their new owners Atlas and the RFU.

It has all added up to the most damaging domestic season in English rugby history, with all eyes now on Irish to see if funding can be put in place for next term.

The Kosovo Tennis Federation is preparing an official complaint about Novak Djokovic’s on-camera message and will call for the 22-time grand slam champion to be fined.

After his first-round victory at the French Open on Monday, Djokovic wrote on the camera lens: “Kosovo is the heart of Serbia. Stop the violence.”

Kosovo declared independence in 2008 but Serbia has never recognised that and violence broke out in the north of the country over the weekend after ethnic Albanian mayors were installed in Serbian-dominated areas, with NATO peacekeepers among those injured.

Djokovic’s message immediately drew attention on social media, with the Serbian telling journalists from his country: “As a Serb, it hurts me what is happening in Kosovo.

“Our people have been expelled from the municipalities. This is the least I could do. As a public figure, I feel an obligation to show support for our people and all of Serbia.

“I hear there was a lot of criticism on social media. I don’t know if someone will punish me or something like that, but I would do it again. I am against wars and conflicts of any kind.”

The French Tennis Federation said on Monday it would not be taking any stance on the matter because grand slam rules do not forbid political statements from players, but the Kosovo federation believes Djokovic should face punishment.

Jeton Hadergjonaj told the PA news agency: “It’s not the first time that Djokovic is doing this. He’s continually provoking Kosovo.

“He suggested he has roots from Kosovo because his father was born in Kosovo. He lived in the north part and probably you heard now in that part there is some troubles and some of the peacekeepers, international soldiers, were injured because the Serbian people attack them.

“OK, Djokovic has some connections, he still has some family there I think and he visited that part. It’s understandable, he’s connected with that part.

“But Kosovo is an independent country recognised by the ITF (International Tennis Federation), Tennis Europe and the international community.

“But he continuously attacks us every time he can do it. In a basketball match in Belgrade one month ago, all the people in the stadium were chanting ‘Kosovo is Serbia’. He was not shouting but he was doing the signs with his hand supporting that.

“That one was not very public, I reacted as well, but this one was a big one. According to the Olympics charter, the fundamental principle is that sporting organisations within the Olympic movement should apply political neutrality.

“The ITF is recognised by the International Olympic Committee. We have to react. Tomorrow we will send an official request for Djokovic to be charged, to have a fine. We will request from the ITF, the ATP and the French Tennis Federation.”

Serbia has troops stationed near the border and there are fears the situation could escalate 15 years after the Kosovo war left more than 10,000 people dead.

Asked if Djokovic’s involvement could increase tensions, Hadergjonaj said: “Potentially it will inflame it. For such a public figure, in this occasion, in this big event and (amid) this Ukraine-Russia war, to give this kind of message is really not helpful.

“The Kosovo-Serbia talks are ongoing and are near to be solved, the problem of Kosovo for a lifetime. To do this kind of declaration from Djokovic, I think is not clever.”

Djokovic faces Hungary’s Marton Fucsovics in the second round in Paris on Wednesday.

There are two kinds of people in life – those blessed with happy happenstance and those for whom the opposite is true. Ben Hanbury puts himself firmly in the former camp.

Despite ending his training career prematurely for financial reasons in 2004, the passing of his beloved wife Moira four years later and his own ongoing health issues, Hanbury’s particular, unmistakable vernacular is most notable for the use of the word “lucky”, in every conceivable grammatical form.

And it provides an interesting dichotomy.

Replete with perma-tan and always the sharpest-dressed man on a racecourse, he was never one to follow the usual fashions or tried-and-tested ways of acquiring equine talent.

Hanbury will forever be remembered for his association with Midway Lady, winner of the 1000 Guineas and Oaks in 1986.

“She is a remarkable story,” said Hanbury, 77, who saddled some 900 winners in an illustrious career.

“I used to go to Venezuela to look for new owners, because when I was assistant to Bernard Van Cutsem he trained for Venezuelan owners.

“Michael Stoute and Barry Hills were plundering the English market for owners and I thought I’d go to Venezuela, America and Japan, anywhere to look for new owners.

“I made friends with a man whose father was a trainer out there and I said to the Venezuela Racing Association I was the champion trainer in England – and I’d hardly trained a winner!

“I kept in touch and he rang me up one day and he said, ‘I’ve seen a horse and I’ve had a dream – and in this dream she is going to become the champion filly of Europe’.

“I was desperate for horses, so we went to Keeneland and he showed me this filly. She was by Alleged, who was a hell of a sire, but she was very crooked and very ugly.

“The average for Alleged was 200,000 or 300,000 (dollars) and we picked her up for 42,000, which I thought was a lot of money. So we bought her with his dream intact.

“I got her home and she was very weak and a chronic box walker. She was coming on all right as a two-year-old and I went to Keeneland in July and I said to my apprentice, ‘you can ride her at Yarmouth, but I haven’t worked her’ – she’d just started strong cantering.

“I said, ‘look after her, I don’t care where you finish, but it might just change her mind and give her something to think about’.

“Anyway, she was second to Stoute’s best filly, Untold, and I was absolutely astounded.

“So after that race, I backed her for the Oaks at 100-1, which I thought was a terrible price because I’d never had a Classic runner, never mind a winner. I thought she should have been 500-1.

“After that she was never beaten!”

Midway Lady went on to race five times more, winning a Yarmouth maiden, the May Hill at Doncaster and the Prix Marcel Boussac under Lester Piggott, who retired for the first time at the end of 1985.

“I was never going to train her for the Guineas,” said Hanbury. “As she was a chronic box walker, I used to turn her out in the field.

“Then, in February, she fractured a splint bone, which was quite serious but not life-threatening.

“I said, ‘that’s it, we’ll be lucky to get her back for the Guineas’.

“Anyway, she recovered quite quickly and as any trainer will tell you, they are just like flowers. They suddenly come. This filly had to be box-rested and she got stronger and suddenly looked a million dollars.”

A racecourse gallop at Yarmouth convinced him to run in the Guineas and, with Ray Cochrane in the saddle as Piggott opted not to come out of retirement, the 10-1 chance powered up the stands rail at Newmarket to score by three-quarters of a length from Maysoon, with the 6-4 favourite Sonic Lady third.

On June 7, 1986, Midway Lady then justified 15-8 favouritism in the Oaks, winning by a length from Untold, with Maysoon third.

“Everyone looks from the outside and thinks things are rosy. But there are 365 days in a year – 350 of them are disappointing,” Hanbury pointed out.

“Most days, for everyone with horses, it’s depressing, so it’s great when you have a bit of luck.

“I didn’t have a party, I just went home and was physically ill. It was such a relief.”

However, during the race Midway Lady picked up a leg injury, which failed to respond to treatment, and in August that year she was retired.

“In my short training career, I was never lucky in so far that I had some good horses but every one of them got injured or never went on,” said Hanbury.

“She broke down in the Oaks. She never ran after June, but obviously if she was sound, she’d have won everything.”

Nineteen years later, Midway Lady’s daughter, Eswarah, similarly won the Oaks, a few months after Hanbury retired.

“Eswarah never ran as a two-year-old and had an injury – that’s why I really gave up,” he added.

“I walked into her box about October time and she had this injury, and I said, ‘that’s it!’.

“Eswarah was a very tricky, nervous filly. She went to Michael Jarvis and he trained her unbelievably well.

“I was absolutely delighted for Michael. He was a big friend, good luck to him. He was a lovely man. You can’t look back – ‘if’ is a great word, you know.”

Hanbury was just 58 when Diomed Stables was shuttered, with the keys passed on to Stuart Williams.

“You need a lot of luck. All my life I have been very lucky,” he added. “I don’t think I had much ability.

“I’d had a shocking year. When luck goes your way, I’d won every photograph, the ground was right, the draw was right.

“Then I had a five-year spell when it rained – I got the wrong draw, the jockey got shut in and I was having no luck, absolutely none. Everything went wrong.

“My accountant said, ‘you’ve lost £80,000 and you won’t last’. I had a valuable yard and unfortunately, when things go against you, you have got to have owners, you’ve got to have horses, you have got to have numbers. I was down to 30 horses.

“It takes quite a lot of guts to give up. Once you ring all your owners and say ‘I’m retiring’, that’s it. You can’t ring them up and say ‘I’m very sorry, I made a mistake’.

“I regretted retiring, but as it turned out, it was the best thing that ever happened financially.”

Anyone who is scorched by the fires of hardship – financial, physical or mental – can often feel grateful if blessed with a positive disposition.

To some, Hanbury may not seem particularly fortunate.

In his formative years, after working as a stable lad for Ryan Price, he ventured to Ireland. As a jockey, he had modest success, even partnering Cheltenham Gold Cup and Grand National winner L’Escargot to victory twice early in the horse’s career for Dan Moore.

Yet a terrible fall sidelined him for a year and fate took him on a different path.

“I came to Newmarket to get strong and I went to Bernard Van Cutsem, just to ride out and help him, and I saw there was much more money than being a bad professional jockey,” he said.

“That was 55 years ago and I never left Newmarket, never left my house. That was luck, complete luck.

“You need luck. Kala Dancer is another example. He got such a fright when Law Society bumped him just on the line, that he put his head out and that’s how he won the Dewhurst (1984).

“He only won by an inch. Every trainer will tell you, you need luck,” he added.

“Of course I regretted retiring. But as it turned out, I sold my yard and I had something to live on.

“I looked after the pictures at the Jockey Club Rooms in Newmarket for 16 years, but I’ve had cancer and just had a big heart operation. I’m feeling fit and I’m a million dollars, but not for doing any work.”

He is still content to do things in his own, unconventional way, however.

“I’m just gardening now. My doctor said to me, ‘no gardening for six weeks’. I waited about three days!” he laughed.

“I’m great, but I tell you what, I’ve been very, very lucky. I tell people so much is down to luck.

“I was very, very lucky to have an amazing wife. I was very lucky to meet her, lucky to have the career I had, lucky to have trained some good horses. I feel extremely lucky.”