Not so high fashion stakes at Cheltenham Festival

We gave her a good break after Cheltenham and she’s now cantering and building up to her race.  She won’t leave our yard and will finish her preparations on our gallops at home and we’ll jump her on our good surface in the school. She’s very clever and she knows what she’s doing so we’ll keep her fresh and let her enjoy having a pop around the school. She loves it and it’s a bit of extra fitness work for her too. David Noonan has a good association with her and if he’s available he’ll ride. He knows her really well and we wouldn’t want to change jockeys now.

As a broodmare she has nothing to prove so she might retire after the Festival. She’ll be more than likely be put in foal and sold. A syndicate of six including my mum and dad, Jo and Malcolm, own her. They’ve always had horses and had a lot of fun, but Lily Waugh has been very special and after losing a horse due to an injury sustained on the racecourse we advised them to buy a share in Lily. Myself and Anthony bought her from the sales at Newbury after winning her only start in an Irish point to point. She’s by the great sire Kings Theatre. Her half-brother  Killultagh Vic has done extremely well, winning the Martin Pipe last year at the Festival and a grade one at Punchestown later.

I’ve been lucky enough to have ridden in the Foxhunters at the Festival once on a horse called Patches for owner Paul Barber and trainer Richard Barber. He sadly fell at the ninth fence and he was well fancied at the time. It was such a shame and something that I will regret for the rest of my life but it was an incredible experience.

I’ve also ridden in the Fred Winter too finishing seventh of 24, beaten ten and a quarter lengths, and it was such a buzz. All the horses grow a hand in the paddock. Everyone is a bit on edge and the atmosphere is electric, but once you are down at the start you get in to the zone and you block out the crowds.

I’d recommend to everyone to experience Cheltenham. Get there really early, enjoy breakfast, have a Guinness or a bottle of champagne and savour the atmosphere. Don’t be in a rush and enjoy every single minute as there is really nothing like it.

This year, our first baby will be due three weeks later but I am planning to go with our runners as they mean a lot to me, although I will take it day by day and see how I am feeling! I am not sure I will score very highly in the fashion stakes.

Unfortunately the suits and dresses made by my seamstress and good friend Elaine Miller that I usually wear at such events don’t quite fit at the moment but luckily Elaine made a dress for me when I was in my early stages of pregnancy to collect my National trainer point-to-point award and miraculously it still fits.

My favourite coat, also made by Elaine, will be worn even if it does not quite meet in the middle. With a few faux fur accessories and hat, I will be good to go!! If all else fails my very close friend Carey Buckler, who is the Regional Partnership Manager at Cheltenham, has promised to let me raid her wardrobe before hand!”

Rachael Green