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- The 2024 Cheltenham Festival runs from next Tuesday to Friday
- Many jockeys have become stars due to their performance at festivals in recent years.
- Mail Sport investigates the lives of some celebrity WAGs
As the days pass towards the 2024 Cheltenham Festival, we are in for a spectacular show of racing in what is undoubtedly one of the greatest weeks on the British sporting calendar.
An estimated 260,000 people will attend the four-day event to witness the best horses, jockeys and trainers battle it out in 28 races at this iconic racetrack.
As the sports world shifts its focus to horse racing, its excitement, anguish and elation will be felt by millions more watching from afar.
Several active jockeys have become well-known in recent years thanks to their success in this event.
But what about the stars behind the jockeys? Under, mail sports Take a look at Cheltenham’s WAG…
Paul Townend – Anna Paoletti
Paul Townend is one of the best jockeys of our time, and the Irish jockey has ridden 28 Cheltenham Festival winners during his illustrious career.
His Italian girlfriend Anna Paoletti will be cheering him on as he hopes to add another winner to his tally next week.
Horses are an important part of their relationship, and Mr Paoletti has been an equine sports therapist since moving to Ireland in 2005 to study the equine field.
Equine sports therapists help injured horses recover by providing first aid, as well as implementing rehabilitation programs and therapeutic techniques.
She is based in Kilkenny and lives with Townend, and the couple have a small dog.
In addition to her work in equine therapy, Paoletti sells eco-friendly Italian cosmetics through her online shop.
Mark Walsh – Katie Young
Another multiple Cheltenham Festival winner, Mark Walsh, who won’t miss next week’s competition, also believes, like Townend, that his day job is having an impact on his love life.
The son of trainer and horse racing commentator Ted Walsh, Walsh is partnered by trainer Katie Young at one of the sport’s most famous and successful racetracks, Gordon Elliott Racing. be.
In fact, the yard has trained two-time Grand National winner and five-time Cheltenham winner Tiger Roll.
Young is seen supporting Walsh at most events, and given their roles in the sport, they have been described as the “Romeo and Juliet” of horse racing.
Keith Donahue – Sarah Dempsey
Keith Donoghue has been open about the ups and downs of his career, but the Meath native is in good form heading into Cheltenham.
The Irishman will be supported by his girlfriend Sarah Dempsey. Although their relationship has generally been kept low-key, they have recently shared various snapshots of the two on vacation.
For example, the pair have also been spotted skiing in the French Alps, and Donoghue posted a photo of them together on the shores of Villefranche-sur-Mer in the French Riviera’s exclusive Côte d’Azur region last year. Posted.
Although their relationship appears to be developing, let’s hope Dempsey, whose profession is unknown, doesn’t see an interview Donoghue gave to local newspaper Meath Chronicle in 2020.
When asked what advice he would give to his 20-year-old self, he simply replied: “Don’t get a girlfriend, just live your life.”
Sean Bowen – Harriet Matthews
Welsh jockey Sean Bowen has been dating girlfriend Harriet Matthews since 2016, and the couple definitely seem to have an active relationship.
Bowen is regularly seen jet-setting around the world when he’s not on board, and has also been seen holidaying in Madrid, Kos and Mykonos, and skiing in France. ing.
Matthews works for Paul Nichols Racing. I mean, he’s also an all-racing couple and they have a sausage dog named Dottie.
Jockey Bowen poured cold water on his chances at Cheltenham last week, insisting he would only be available on the opening day as he aims to continue his quest to become champion jockey.
“At Cheltenham, it all depends on what you get,” he said on Sunday. “I’m going to go in on the first day with Not So Sleepy, but if he falls on very soft ground in the Champions Hurdle he’ll have a half chance.
“I’ll take my pick from there. On Gold Cup day it might be FFOS LAS or FAKENHAM. I need a winner.”
Nico de Boinville – Serena de Boinville (Cookson)
Nico de Boinville is another jockey to watch next week, and he also married into an aristocratic family with a bloodline in the equestrian world.
de Boinville’s wife Serena (née Cookson) is the granddaughter of the late Lord and Lady Hemphill.
Lady Hemphill was famous for her breeding and founded the Turilla Connemara Pony Stud.
Her legacy is carried on by Cookson, who is now head of Turillastad, and in her 2022 lecture she explained why it is so important to carry on her grandmother’s legacy in Ireland.
“The reason we breed in Ireland is similar to growing grapes in France,” she said.
“You can successfully grow that grape in England, but you won’t get the same results.”
Cookson married de Boinville in 2018 and they have one child together, born in July 2019.
Rachel Blackmore – Brian Hayes
Although the term WAG does not apply to Rachel Blackmore’s partner, it is important to mention her situation given her position as one of the industry’s top jockeys.
Blackmore has won numerous awards during her career and, like many others, her relationships have shifted once again to horse racing, with Blackmore dating fellow jockey Brian Hayes.
Hayes is from West Cork and has played for the likes of Emmett Mullins, Willie Mullins and the Bowe family.
Speaking in 2021, Blackmore reflected on his relationships, saying: “I live with two other jockeys, Patrick Mullins and Brian Hayes.” I’m going out with Brian Hayes, so there’s three of us here.
“It’s a very comfortable house to live in and is in a very good location in Leighlinbridge. All of Ireland’s racecourses are close by.
“We don’t talk about racing as much as people think. When we get home, it’s just a normal house.”
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