Toby Vintcent

Ten words to sum up your working life to date ...

Cavalry officer, investment manager, manager of British equestrian teams, author

Nine things you can see from where you're sitting ...

Hope, pictures of my wife and son, a manuscript of The Ringmaster, inspiration, horses, grassland, a scale model of Michael Schumacher’s World Championship-winning 2000 Ferrari, my favourite fountain pen – an Ivanhoe by Caran d’Ache given to me as an engagement present by my wife

Eight minutes to prepare a meal. What's it going to be ?

Eggs “Benedict” with smoked salmon (inverted commas because it’s hard to pin down the right name for this as they vary) – I make it with poached egg, a lightly toasted brioche bun, smoked salmon, a squeeze of lemon juice, ground black pepper and hollandaise sauce

Seven people you'd like to go for a drink with ...

President John F Kennedy; Martin Luther; Martin Luther King Jr; William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley; Sir Winston Churchill, Bernie Ecclestone, HM The Queen

Six things you can't live without ...

Time, family, my Ivanhoe fountain pen, a Europa Notemaker writing pad, chicken tikka masala, Andiamo!

Five favourite words ...

Anne-Marie, Four Notrumps, Brexit, irrespective, Tobes

Four places you'd run away to ...

Any means of being afloat in open water
Hambeldon Hill, Dorset
Mossel Bay, South Africa
St Katharine Docks, London

Three books you've bought recently ...

The latest John Grisham;
Waverley by Sir Walter Scott;
The Mitford Girls by Mary S Lovell

Two things that make you rant ...

The arrogance of celebrity business people;
People who won’t admit that they are defending irrational thoughts

One thing you'd tell your teenage self ...

You are right: stick to the Phoney Club