Cheltenham Festival: Straw Fan Jack entry 'dream come true' for trainer Sheila Lewis
The 66/1 shot, ridden by Sean Houlihan, is set to be Lewis' first entry at the festival, in the Arkle Chase at 14:10 GMT on Tuesday, 14 March.
As recently as 2020, Lewis was also working in a beauty salon to earn enough money to support her small yard, but now works full-time as a trainer.
"We're very lucky to have a lovely horse in Straw Fan Jack," said Lewis.
"In 2020 when Covid-19 hit the salon was closed and I was able to sort of focus more on the horses.
"We had a bumper season, we had six horses in training and we had 12 winners including a treble at Hereford.
"So that kind of gave me the leap of faith to leave the salon and start training. I've now got 15 horses."
Before 2022, Straw Fan Jack had predominantly been run over the smaller hurdle obstacles before Lewis switched to the bigger fences.
The move paid off and, after success at Ffos Las in October 2022, Straw Fan Jack went to Cheltenham and fought back brilliantly up the hill to beat Ash Tree Hill.
That win provided the confidence to enter the eight-year-old into the Arkle Chase, and despite his long odds Lewis believes he can finish in the frame.
"We always knew he was really good at chasing," said Lewis.
"We kept him over hurdles, because he's quite a backward type, so he's gone into this novice chasing year as an eight-year-old so he's big and strong.
"We kind of go in there with maybe a chance of running into a place hopefully.
"But to win it? I can't let myself think that I'm going to win it otherwise I'll get really disappointed if I don't."
The Arkle Chase will be the biggest test of Straw Fan Jack and Lewis' career, with horse racing's major players - such as Willie Mullins, Gordon Elliot and Nicky Henderson - all having entries.
El Fabiolo, Jonbon and Dysart Dynamo are expected to fight it out in the festival's second race of the week.
But for Lewis and her family, just to be mentioned in the same sentence as some of horse racing's heavyweights will ensure smiles all around come Tuesday.
"It's a dream come true for me really," Lewis said.
"To be working in a beauty salon eight years ago, and to now have a runner going to Cheltenham, it's just like the opposite sides of the coins really.
"It's brilliant."
BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra will bring you commentaries from all four days from 14-17 March, with coverage of Gold Cup day also on Radio 5 Live including Friday's big race at 15:30 GMT.
There will also be live text commentaries, racecards and results every day on the BBC Sport website and app, and additional coverage on BBC Sport's social media accounts.
