WILTSHIRE trainer Emma Lavelle is relishing the ‘Cheltenham Challenge’ that lies ahead of her Bonita Racing Yard as National Hunt racing returns to the fore of horse racing action.

Prestbury Park hosted its first two days of racing at the weekend, while Aintree also welcomed racegoers amid the closure of the summer flat season at Doncaster.

Lavelle’s team was represented by Fortunate George – who finished 14th in the Brandon Hill Capital Handicap Hurdle – on Friday at Cheltenham, while star pair Paisley Park and Javert travelled north to race at Aintree on Sunday.

Paisley Park returned an impressive winner in the Racing UK Handicap Hurdle – worth £17,000 in prize money to the winner – while Javert was only beaten by a length against the Paul Nicholls-trained Frodon in the Old Roan Chase.

The re-introduction of her yard’s more common names is all part of the excitement which climaxes at the Cheltenham Festival in March, something which Lavelle admits has quickly developed itself as horse racing’s jewel in the crown.

She said: “This time of year is always exciting, a lot of the youngsters are getting to the point where you’re thinking about running them.

“You can see where you actually are, and for some of the nice horses from last year – the novice hurdlers that are going chasing – you get the same feeling.

“There’s no denying that Cheltenham has become this mecca – a golden highway that leads to ultimate success.

“We could have a winner in October and people will be asking if it’s going to go to Cheltenham.

“That puts quite a lot of pressure on horses – but that’s the nature of the beast, isn’t it?

“When you buy horses, you do consider that – will this be a Cheltenham horse, or will it be going to Plumpton on a Monday?

“We hope it’s Cheltenham, and then reality will dawn halfway through.”

Away from the competition of the racecourse, though, Lavelle and her team have quickly come to grips with the fresh challenges her new base has presented.

Ogbourne Maizey has been home to Lavelle’s stars for just over two seasons and is also able to boast what racing legend Lester Piggott described as ‘the best gallops I’ve ever ridden on’.

A former home to Sir Gordan Richards, Bob Turnell and – more recently – Peter Makin, the yard is steeped in racing history.

Explaining the challenges of moving a team of horses, Lavelle admitted adopting a ‘step-by-step’ approach has served her well.

She said: “The yard is brilliant. It’s a lovely area and the gallops are fantastic.

“There’s always a time where you’re getting used to new surroundings – how much work you need to do with the horses on the gallops, what constitutes a horse being fit and ready to run.

“We used the same gallop for 18 years, so moving here was a bit of a learning curve for us.

“But it’s been great, we’ve had some big winners and been able to nurture horses in a better way than where we were before.”