WITH the Cheltenham Festival almost upon us local trainer David Pipe and his Pond House Stables team are in the final throes of preparing their string of horses.

Batavir, is expected to run in the Pertemps on March 12 – the third day of the Festival – and one of those who is heavily involved with the six-year-old is stable girl Sarah Kavanagh.

She said: “I come from Ireland near Wexford but I wanted to work in England for one of the big trainers.

“It’s pretty hard to get a job with racehorses if you don’t have experience so I went to the racing school in Newmarket for nine weeks, after which they got me a job with David Pipe which I was very happy about.

“I love my job and couldn’t see myself doing anything else.

“I don’t think that I could have picked a better trainer to work for because David is a lovely man and looks after us well and teaches us what we need to know.

“I have to be on the yard at 7.30am but I like to go and see my horses before we start work.

“We have breakfast from 10 to 10.30 and lunch time is 1 till 2.30.

“I ride four lots a day and sometimes more and in the evenings we muck out and usually finish about 5 o’clock.

“It’s a pretty busy day but I couldn’t picture myself doing anything else for a living.

“I have always loved horses and have had my own at home.

“I look after four horses and if they are running I go with them to the races and walk with them in the parade ring which I really enjoy.

“I love my horses and can’t spend enough time with them.”

Batavir has already won at Ascot with AP McCoy on board, and also at Wincanton, but Pipe’s stable girl is hoping for even better things at the Festival.

“Batavir is entered at Cheltenham on March 12 – three days after my birthday – so it would be great birthday present for me and great for the David Pipe Stable if he won!”