A FINALIST at the 2021 Godolphin Stud & Stable Staff awards in the Newcomers category, Jaydon, like many of us, can’t wait to see Shishkin in action in the Arkle.

Tell us about your preparations for attending this year’s Festival and how they differ from other years.

This year’s preparations regarding the horses is pretty much the same as any other year, we’re lucky we don’t have to travel like the Irish horses do.

The fact that there’ll be no crowds, no owners and that we’re all having to wear PPE are the biggest changes for us.

The experience of being at this year’s Festival will be very different. What part(s) will you miss the most? And will there be any advantages?

Personally, I’ll miss the crowd the most. Along with the horses, the crowd is what makes Cheltenham, Cheltenham. I think all the stable staff and jockeys will miss the atmosphere.

It’ll be very different this year, but we all know how lucky we are that racing is still going ahead.

What horse do you think is the yard’s best chance of a winner? And which horse from your yard is the most underestimated?

I think our best chance of a winner at this year’s Festival is Shishkin. I know it’s easy to say when you look after him but from what we’ve seen so far, he looks the real deal over fences. He has it all.

I think Dame De Compagnie is a horse from our yard that’s underestimated. The fact she can revert back to the smaller obstacles and run in the mares’ hurdle is a big plus and the trip in that race would really suit her if she goes there.

Leaving aside your own runners, what other race are you looking forward to seeing and why?

The Gold Cup. It’s racing’s blue riband and is sure to be another fascinating renewal. It’s the race everyone looks forward to at the start of the season and the anticipation keeps growing.

You have Al Boum Photo going for a historic third in a row this year but he has plenty of challengers so I’m looking forward to seeing how it plays out.

Tell us a little bit about Shishkin. What is he like at home?

Shishkin is in great form. He really doesn’t have any quirks or anything like that. He is just a really sensible horse and very straightforward and easy to train.

He is a pleasure to deal with and to be associated with. We’re all looking forward to seeing what he can do in the Arkle.

Complied by Brian O’Keeffe