Amateur riders hold plenty of chances as festival approaches
This time next week the Cheltenham Festival will be well under way. It's a very special occasion for myself and for my fellow amateur riders.
It's always been a thrill to ride in races like the National Hunt Chase, the Kim Muir and the Foxhunter. In addition to these events confined to amateurs, it's been brilliant to see the impact made by my colleagues in the Champion Bumper.
They've outdone the professionals with five wins in the last eight years, Patrick Mullins on Champagne Fever in 2012, Robbie McNamara on Silver Concorde in 2014, Jamie Codd twice in the last three years on Fayonagh and Envoi Allen, and Katie Walsh in between on Relegate.
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