Flat has the glamour but jump racing gets the heart racing

In my eyes the excitement of horses jumping a fence at 30 miles an hour beats a horse running on the Flat. A lot can happen in a race when ten fences are involved and to see a horse time a jump to perfection is great. Flat can be as exciting at times, but there is simply nothing better than seeing a 500kg beast clearing five-foot fences with ease! Plus, the horses have a longer career in jumping and you become attached to each runner.

My favourite current jumper is Treo Eile, who raced at the Punchestown festival twice in three days, came second in a hunter chase then beat odds-on favourite Cantlow in the La Touche Cup two days later! It was brilliant. I also have a very big soft spot for Yanworth.

Aintree is always a great spectacle, especially the National, but the Cheltenham Festival is brilliant too – I’d have to say that’s better due to the variety on offer, from Champion Hurdle day to ladies’ day, the Gold Cup, plus the variety of trips and the fact most trainers aim for Cheltenham.

I do go Flat racing, especially in the summer when you get the weather and can enjoy a great day out – it also has the glamour!

However, I find it much easier betting on jumps – I love betting on novice races at this time of year, plus over a longer distance a horse has more time to recover from an early blunder, whereas if a horse jumps slowly from the stalls in a five-furlong sprint it’s more or less over.