'I had an awful time' - how Rebecca Curtis bounced back to become a Cheltenham Festival winner again

It is hard to imagine a more picturesque place to train than Rebecca Curtis's yard in Pembrokeshire. On one side you have the sea ‒ beyond which is Ireland ‒ and Aberfforest Beach, where horses can cool down after exercise, while on the other side, from the top of gallops, you can see Dinas Mountain on a clear day.

Alongside the blessing of living somewhere so beautiful and isolated is the curse of being a long way from anywhere, but that has not stopped an operation with just 20 horses competing at the highest level, and last week Haiti Couleurs made the 320-mile round trip to Cheltenham feel like popping down the road with victory in the National Hunt Chase, his trainer's sixth festival success. 

With that sort of record, you might imagine owners have been tripping over one another to send their best and brightest prospects to this peaceful corner of Wales. However, that has not proved to be the case. When we catch up on a glorious yet bracing morning, Curtis is philosophical about this, acutely aware of how quickly a yard's fortunes change while refreshingly content with what she has.