Cheltenham Races: 'It's like a pressure cooker for us racing'

Paul Nicholls said it's been a tough year for his staff at stable yard at Ditcheat with the death of two friends

"It's like a pressure cooker, it just gets more intense."

That's champion jockey trainer Paul Nicholls speaking ahead of the biggest horse-racing festival in the country.

The BBC has been given exclusive access behind-the-scenes to stable yards in Somerset ahead of the Cheltenham Festival 2024.

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Nicholls may have won four Cheltenham Gold Cups but he still feels the pressure to deliver on the biggest stage of them all.

This time around the 14-time Champion Trainer has Bravemansgame running in the feature race, after he came a close second last year.

He told BBC Radio Somerset: "Some people judge your season just on Cheltenham winners. I never have done.

'A tough year'

"We all want winners at Cheltenham but it's tough"

The Ditcheat yard has a long history of success at the festival.

Denman and See More Business have both won the Gold Cup, with Kauto Star doing it twice.

Trainer Paul Nicholls (left) pictured with Keagan Kirkby (centre) and jockey Harry Cobden

The build-up to this year's event has been more strained due to the deaths of two people at the yard.

Paul Barber, Nicholls' landlord and friend, died last summer, while jockey Keagan Kirkby sadly lost his life after falling during a Point to Point race in February.

"It's been a tough year without Paul being here. Paul, like Keagan, would have enjoyed Cheltenham immensely," said Nicholls.

"If we have a winner at Cheltenham it will be dedicated to those two."

David Pipe is hoping for success with his horses trained near Wellington

'There's no better place to be when they win, there's no worse place to be when they don't'

David Pipe took over the running of the yard at Pond House near Wellington from his father Martin in 2006.

Martin Pipe still holds the most Champion Trainer titles of all time at 15, sitting one above Nicholls. Martin had 34 festival winners.

He told the BBC: "Once I was old enough to realise what was going on, Dad was in his prime.

"I thought it was the norm, quickly found out when I started to train that it wasn't.

"It was a golden era. He changed the way people train race horses."

'Season defining'

David Pipe has had multiple success stories at the festival over the years, including a winner in his debut season with Gaspara in 2007.

"Rightly or wrongly, your season as a trainer is this - if you've had a winner at Cheltenham it's a success, if you don't then it's not."

Joe Tizzard says he's hungry for success with his horses from Milbourne Port

'I'm hungry for a Cheltenham winner under my own name'

Joe Tizzard runs his yard from Milbourne Port in Somerset after taking over from his father a few years ago and is hoping to run seven horses at the festival.

His nephew Freddie is riding Elixir de Nutz in the Queen Mother chase, after the horse won on Cheltenham trials day.

It was Mr Tizzard's first ever Grade One winner and he described it as "an emotional experience".

He said: "I'm incredibly proud of him, I'm proud of how he handles everything at 18-years-old, the horses, the crowd and the pressure that goes with it.

"He's put himself in a beautiful position to have a successful career."

'Hungry for success'

The Tizzards won the Gold Cup in 2018 with Native River but Joe has never had a winner at Cheltenham as a trainer.

He said: "I'm hungry for a Cheltenham winner under my own name and I really do think that can make a season.

"I need to get on the Cheltenham Map. It attracts the big owners and shows that you can do it.

"The Gold Cup is unbelievable. There isn't a winner like it. They're our Olympics. There's nothing quite like it.

"Trainers get a bit emotional because there's been a lot of pressure in the build up to get there."

Johnson White says there is "no better feeling" than having a winning horse at Cheltenham

'To have a winner at Cheltenham is a very, very special experience'

Johnson White is gearing up for another Cheltenham Festival.

He has been involved in the sport for 30 years but he only got his name on the license with Phillip Hobbs a year ago.

Mr White has the horses Goshhowposh and possibly Celebre d'Allen running at the famous race week.

"We won the champion hurdle with Rooster Booster (in 2003). Sadly the feeling was purely relief rather than ecstasy.

"It's emotional and to walk into the winners' enclosure with the full crowd and the music - it makes the hair on the back of your neck stand up."