just magic. Our director Paul McNamara, who has directed sport at the highest level, said, ‘That’s one of the best interviews I’ve ever heard in sport, not in racing, in sport .’ “Then, Paisley Park’s win was very emotional for me because Emma Lavelle, the trainer, is a good friend. I’d spoken to her that morning. She looked like she was going to be sick, and to know the pressure she was under, the wonderful story that Andrew Gemmell had given us, the bravery of the horse. It was lump-in-your-throat time. I know it wasn’t just me, all the team were emotional – Francesca [Cumani] really struggled to cope with it. “I thought Cheltenham had already taken off the
day before with Altior and Tiger Roll. Altior is a full-on superstar and he delivered again. Horses like that are vital for us because racing relies on horses resonating with the public. That’s why Cheltenham is so special, because people at home know these horses; they’re household names. “And Tiger Roll’s win? That horse has touched me for a long time now. I always loved him because he was always this small, diminutive little tiger. It almost felt like David and Goliath in terms of stature, and Tiger has the heart of a lion. He really does. I wanted him to win so badly, and even I knew there was never a moment’s worry in that cross country race. He was just dynamite, in the form
10 Kalendar
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