Tell us about your favourite Cheltenham Festival experience and why it was so special.
Shattered Love winning the Grade 1 JLT Novices’ Chase at the Festival in 2018 was my favourite moment from being at Cheltenham. I took a big shine to her when she first arrived into Gordon’s yard, and I led her up in her first ever bumper for Gordon, and every race after that. To see her progress through the years to become a Cheltenham Festival winner was very special for me.
Where is the best place to watch the action?
I love watching the racing down at the bottom of the chute where you let the horses go out onto the track, it’s definitely the most exciting place to watch the races. It’s right next to the action and you can watch it with all the other stable staff from different yards. Tension is high and everyone is shouting their horse home and the atmosphere is electric. It’s an incredible place to be.
If you could own one horse running at this year’s Festival, who would it be and why?
If I could own one horse running at this year’s Festival, it would have to be Tiger Roll. He is going for a record-equalling fifth Festival win and he is such a people’s horse, I’d say the whole of Cheltenham will be by the parade ring to see him pre-race. He’s so special in so many ways and he has been an incredible horse to have in the yard!
If you could make one change to the meeting what would it be?
If I could make one change to the Festival it would be to make it last longer. Add in an extra day’s racing, it’s one of the best weeks of the year!
Which of the four days of the Festival is your favourite and why?
My favourite day of the Festival is the first day. It’s so exciting and the roar from the crowd at the start of the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle is something you won’t experience anywhere other than day one, race one of the Cheltenham Festival.