RACHEL Robins is a key member of staff at Willie Mullins’ and will head a small but select team from Closutton as they travel to the Cheltenham Festival. Having led up her first Festival winner in 2015 and experienced many highs since, she’s hoping this year will be another to remember for the record setting yard.

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

This year is just going to be different. Every year you upset lads because not everyone can go to Cheltenham. It’s what we work for, but every year we have to take lads and leave lads at home – it’s very hard.

This year we’re trying to get as many UK-based staff as we can. When we get home this year we have to quarantine and who would look after the horses for us if we’re all in isolation?

A very small team will be leaving from Closutton this year and it’s such a shame.

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?

I’ll miss everyone getting together in the Hunter’s Lodge for a drink and a discussion of the day’s racing – good or bad. Then maybe having one too many and getting a taxi to 21 Club far too late.

The only advantage this year is that everyone will be hangover free but that will make it very boring craic!

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’m going to go for Elimay as our best chance at this year’s Festival, but only because I’m very lucky to ride and look after her. I’m going to jump on the bandwagon and support her.

I think our dark horse this year is Blue Lord. Whatever race he turns up in, I think he’ll run a savage race. [Blue Lord holds entries in the Supreme and Ballymore Novices’ Hurdles and the County Hurdle]

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

I’m most looking forward to the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle. It’s the race that I led up my very first Cheltenham Festival winner in, which was Limini. It’s a real favourite of mine and I love watching it because it brings back the thrill I got when Limini won it.

How will you spend your five days of quarantine when you get back?

I’ll spend my five days quarantining on the sofa watching telly. I’ll probably be waiting for my legs to start working again as we do so much walking when we’re over at Cheltenham.

I’ll also be messaging the lads in the yard to make sure my horses are okay and well and I’ll want to know who is riding them out. I’ll be wishing I was there riding them and not sat at home!

Compiled by Brian O’Keeffe