If I could Bottle This...

Festival fever took its yearly grip with symptoms including butterflies in the stomach, increased heart rate, widened eyes, large grins, rapid speech, thunderous shouts and animated, fidgety and bouncy movements. Words cannot explain how exciting the Cheltenham Festival was.

On the Tuesday, this excitement intensified as the three runners left with a rev of the engines of each two-box. During lunchtime, I switched on ITV Racing, listened to ‘the Roar’ and watched a couple of races but went to work early, unable to sit still.

As the Ultima started, head lad, Alan Berry, changed the screen of the electronic riding out board to show the race from his Bet365 account, because it’s significantly faster. A handful of us stood around it, eyes glued to Richie McLernon in the green and gold of JP McManus, with the quartered cap, on Johnnywho. Our hard working conditional Ben Macey led him up, a rare day that he wasn’t wearing silks himself.

‘Berry’ shouted ‘Go on Richie’ first and we joined in as Richie cut through the field and as Johnnywho passed the line in front, we erupted. I gave Berry, who wouldn't be a huggy person, an awkward half-hug - he rides Johnnywho every morning, feeds him and checks him. Marnie Campbell, the equine sports therapist, joined us – she has treated many amazing racehorses in the past but it was her first time shouting one home along with a throng of elated, roaring stable staff.

Richie gave a heartfelt interview - it had been twelve years since he'd won an Ultima on Holywell. I wiped away tears, looked up and saw head girl Georgia Plumb's cheeks glistening too. As evening stables began, the others poured out of the hostels and office, hollering in celebration. I got another hug off Georgia; the type of hug you’d expect after sending out a Festival winner.

We continued with evening stables with a glow. When picking up my son Finn from nursery, I asked for a large bit of paper, and they kindly handed over a large white square. Back home, I used the chunky Crayola felt-tips designed for tiny hands to create a congratulatory banner - though not artistic, it was all heart! I taped it to Johnnywho’s top door as a homecoming.

At home on Friday, watching Wilful take the County Hurdle was quieter, yet the feeling was no less thrilling. The joy just doubled. Berry, Georgia and Megan Petrie had gone to the Plough Inn in Ford, only to find it packed. As Wilful won awesomely, it was Georgia who, this time, flung an arm round Berry. Regulars and strangers alike cheered and clapped. Georgia lined up the pints of Guinness and they were still early for work!

Again, that indescribable magic settled on Jackdaws Castle like fairy dust. Even the

most superstitious couldn’t deem the peacock unlucky any longer. If I could bottle this feeling like a glittery potion, an elixir or tonic, I would give it to all. Back with the Crayola, I created another banner, even less artistic than the first.

The runners returned, John Dina hoarse from shouting Wilful home; he lived his dream leading up a Festival winner. Lucy Westlake had driven them and her grin was cemented in place. They held up the winner's sheet like the King’s Colour. Having smoked an uncountable number of cigarettes through nerves, Fred Mirea was delighted All The Glory had got round in the mares’ chase; he had watched Wilful win from the pre-parade. Up on the balcony, we gathered for bubbly, John and Lucy fizzing as if on an F1 podium. This was better - our own podium, our own bubbles.

  Owned by Mrs Fitri hay, her husband Jim, who has owned huge winners at Royal Ascot and Glorious Goodwood, said this had been his dream forever. A lot of people lived a dream this week. There's only one place like Cheltenham.

Thank you to head lads Berry, Georgia and Johnny Kavanagh, the bosses, the jockeys, the team, Marnie, vets, farrier, everyone...take a bow!