When Oliver Sherwood's stable jockey Jamie Osborne announced his retirement in 1999, Jimmy McCarthy - the stable's number two jockey - looked forward to promotion.
He had joined the Sherwood outfit as a conditional in 1991 and has just had his best season with 50 winners.
Unfortunately for Jimmy, the decision to promote - or not - was not entirely the trainer's to make. Under a degree of pressure from one or two picky owners, Sherwood was obliged to look elsewhere, and he looked across the Irish Sea to where 23-year-old David James (D. J.) Casey was then plying his trade.
Oliver explained. 'Jimmy was as good as the majority of jump jockeys, but I felt that I needed to go for someone who might be capable of breaking into the top flight, as Jamie did when I took him on.'
That someone was David Casey.
Hailing from Co. Waterford, David had begun his career in 1992 when an apprentice to Flat trainer Tony Redmond.
Increasing weight, the bane of so many young jockeys, had forced him to go jumping, and he joined National Hunt trainer Willie Mullins in the mid-nineties. Willie supplied David with his first winner, If you Say Yes (1995). Then, on no less than six occasions, he won on Micko's Dream for the stable.
Ten years after starting out with Tony Redmond, David rode his first Cheltenham Festival winner, the Arthur Moore-trained Fadoudal Du Cochet in the Grand Annual Handicap Chase. David was showered with critical acclaim for his handling of the horse.
Later he finished third to Ruby Walsh and Paul Carberry in the Irish jump jockeys' championship.
Then came the call from Oliver Sherwood.
David had rejected a previous invitation to come to England but, with advice from Charlie Swan for whom David had been riding chasers, he came over.
David adapted easily to the Berkshire way of life and struck up a close friendship with Jimmy McCarthy, (still) the second jockey to Sherwood. The pair would often go to the races together.
David's presence on English racecourses had not escaped the attention of the ubiquitous Martin Pipe. The trainer engaged him to ride his second string, Copeland, for the William Hill Hurdle at Sandown in December, 1999. In a blazing finish, David beat first string Rodock by a short head, even after seeming to ease his mount at the wrong winning post. Rodock's pilot, A.P. McCoy was clearly vexed at the result: this was the second time David had won on the 'wrong' Pipe horse with McCoy behind him, having done the same at on Carlovent in the Tote Silver Trophy at Chepstow.
Then David endured a professional nightmare. Riding Hulysse Royal at Kempton in January, 2000, he was clear over the last. Instead of kicking on, he tried to win cleverly and was caught in the final stride by the hard-ridden outsider, Audacter. This earned him a fortnight's holiday (the maximum penalty for a first offence) from the Stewards who took a dim view of his action.
David took sole responsibility and apologised where necessary. Sherwood stood by him and continued to give him good rides.
Then, out of the blue, on the morning of April 27, Sherwood sacked David on the spot.
It was not such a shock to one or two insiders. David's timekeeping had become erratic at best and, on the morning of his dismissal, he had missed a vital schooling session with the stable star, Cenkos, bound for the Punchestown Festival.
Sherwood battered on his door in an effort to wake him.
After just 87 rides and 13 winners, David's career with Sherwood was over. While the trainer himself was upset, David was in absolute tears, pleading for another chance.
It was not given: it was a harsh lesson for the young jockey, but a trainer is entitled to expect a high degree of professionalism.
Sherwood had the last word on the matter.
'We may not have seen eye-to-eye on a couple of things,' he said, 'but David will ride for me again.'
Plugging on in the background, Jimmy McCarthy had remained the faithful worker.
In the summer of 2000, he at last received his just reward, being made the stable's number one jockey.
'Jimmy's been very loyal,' said Sherwood. 'I'd love to have given him the chance the last time. Now ninety-nine per cent of the owners are happy with him.'
David Casey won the Thyestes Chase in 2003 on Hedgehunter and rode him in that year's National. Hedgehunter fell at the very last fence when in third and going brilliantly.
Two weeks before the 2005 National, David sustained a serious neck injury which prevented him from riding Hedgehunter in that year's National. He watched mortified as Ruby Walsh came home a 14 length winner.
He'd lost his Grand National chance.
In 2008, he finished third on Snowy Morning.
In 2009, riding Offshore Account, he finished 15th.
In 2010, he fell at the 28th on the favourite Arbor Supreme.
In 2012, he fell at the 17th on Quiscover Fontaine.
In 2013, he finished 16th on Quiscover Fontaine.
David married Aine Byrne: she gave him a daughter, Clodagh.
In September 2014, David was living at 60, The Fairways, Pollerton, Carlow. Co Wexford.
His agent is Ciaran O'Toole.
His career in the saddle began with a racing apprenticeship in Kildare.
In March 2014, David narrowly missed out on winning the Cheltenham Gold Cup when his mount, On His Own, was beaten in a photo by Davy Russell on Lord Windermere having suffered minor interference on the run-in. A controversial stewards' inquiry which followed allowed Russell to keep the race though David thought the places should have been reversed.
On Saturday, 5 February, 2005, David won the Leopardstown Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup on Rule Supreme beating the 8/15 favourite Beef Or Salmon into second.