'When I was in primary school I used to bunk off to go racing at Sandown'

Caroline Tisdall has owned around 40 jumps horses trained by David Pipe for almost ten years, most notably the recently retired Vieux Lion Rouge and Greatwood Hurdle winner Dell' Arca. Her current string includes Grade 1-winning hurdler Adagio, but above all she craves victory in the Grand National. She tells Sam Hendry about her racing journey.

I was born in Stratford-upon-Avon; my mother was a Shakespearean actress and my father was a painter. My mother was a great fan of showjumping and so we grew up glued to the box for greats like Harvey Smith and that's what kicked off my interest in horses. She would completely understand the mad, long adventure I’m on now.

When I was in primary school in Esher I used to bunk off to go racing at Sandown with a chum. We would go all around the railway track and sneak in and nobody ever challenged us. We absolutely loved it. I was dazzled by the silks and the pageant of it. The colour, excitement and noise made it seem like a wonderful theatre to me. In the end, I found out my mother knew all about it. She rather approved of the initiative.