JUMPING FOR JOY

BEHIND the scenes at Prestbury Park this week, OLLIE SMITH is part of a huge team making sure everything goes like clockwork.

- MELISSA JONES asks the questions...

Tell us a bit about your Cheltenham Racecourse role and how long you have worked there for?

I'm a casual racecourse fence attendant and this is my 10th year in the role. Depending on the race meeting we are covering during the season, I’m allocated different parts of the course to keep an eye on. We react to what is happening during the day. It involves things like making sure the jumps are straight for the horses to cross, treading the ground, dolling off an obstacle and helping out if there has been a faller. At the Festival I also manage the gallops when the Irish trainers exercise their horses in the morning.

What kit do you have with you on a raceday?

I travel around the track on a buggy. For the opening race, the Supreme Novices' Hurdle, I cover the first flight and when they have passed me I switch to two from the finish. On the vehicle I have screens in case we need to give a horse or jockey privacy, a first-aid kit, a defibrillator and stretcher. I carry a radio to contact other members of staff if we are responding to an incident. Waterproofs are essential, as are plenty of snacks, because I work from the early hours of the morning to evening during the four days.

How did you get involved in racing?