Are you nervous about heading over?

Yeah I am. I think I’m more nervous than anyone else. I feel a bit of pressure with it being the owners first Festival runner. They’re very excited.

What is Ol Man Dingle like to deal with every day?

His name speaks for itself. He’s literally an old man in a horse’s body. He’s so friendly and sweet. He’s everything you could want in a horse, a real pet. He has his own little routine in the mornings. In the mornings when I go in to tack him up, I have to give him a scratch first before I put the bridle on. Even at the races, his temperament is so good.

Do you have any superstitions when you’re racing?

I’ll probably light a candle the night before! I think some people say that if you put an odd number of plaits into the horse’s mane, it’s supposed to be lucky.

Have you gotten any advice from friends that have taken horses to the Festival?

One of my friends told me to just take it all in and enjoy it. It’s meant to be electric over there.

Will you be emotional if he wins?

If he wins I’ll probably start crying. He won a Grade 3 in Cork, and I turned to my sister roaring crying. I was so happy and so relieved.

What has the build up been like for everyone in the yard?

The build up to the Festival has been amazing. Everyone is so excited in the yard and they’re all looking forward to it. They’re all confident that he’ll do the job.

What is your routine when you’re at the races?

We’d normally give them a wash over and a walk when we get into the stableyard to get them settled in. I take them into the box then and start plaiting their mane and tail, and give their body a brush over. I try to keep them as calm as I can. I get the tack ready and then I have to wait a while and give them a little pep talk, but I’ll probably be speechless at Cheltenham!

Will you drive the box over by yourself?

Myself and Eoin (Griffin, trainer) will probably take it in turns, but I’ll be sitting there sweating with nerves when I’m not driving. I’ll have to play some upbeat music.