Rachel Rennie makes amazing comeback from cancer to ride in Newmarket Town Plate

Rachel Rennie will line up to ride in the Newmarket Town Plate this month five years after a cancer diagnosis prevented her from taking part in the historic race.

Just a month before she was set to ride in the 2016 running, Rennie, who works for trainer Martin Smith, noticed a small lump on her chest which doctors later confirmed was breast cancer.

"I had a little pea size lump appear," Rennie said. "I went to the doctors and they said to go to the hospital to get it checked out and a week later I was in surgery.

"I went to the hospital and they put through all sorts of tests, which are probably worse than the treatment, and they came back and said it was a grade three lump and we needed to get it straight away.

"It was pretty swift. I had the lump cut out and eight rounds of chemotherapy and 20 rounds of radiotherapy and ten years' worth of tablets. Luckily they got it all out and made a nice nip and tuck with it so I've got a nice scar but that's all."

'I didn't think I would get another chance'

Rennie's 2016 ride would have been aboard the now-retired Amber Flush so this year she will partner Friend's Don't Ask, trained by her current boss, on Saturday, August 28.

Owned by Robert Clarke and partners, the six-year-old got off the mark over fences at Fakenham last November and has since added further victories at Fontwell and Newton Abbot.

"At the time of the cancer, missing the Town Plate was the least of my worries," Rennie said. "I didn't think I would get the chance to have another go but luckily I've got this share in Friends Don't Ask.

"He has taken a while to come to hand as he is such a big gangly thing but he has started coming into his own now racing beyond three miles. Once we stepped him up in trip I thought he could be one for the Town Plate and one day I mentioned it to Martin and he was dead keen.

"I did consider bringing Amber Flush back into training at some point for this but she has since had two foals and that wouldn't be fair on her."

Newmarket Town Plate: box of Powters famous sausages up for grabs

Following her life-changing diagnosis, Rennie spent time around horses during her recovery and credits that with helping her during the very worst of her treatment.

She said: "Having the horses around probably helped me recover as it meant I wasn’t sitting around feeling sorry for myself.

"If I felt poorly I would go out for half an hour then come back in. I can't say I felt too ill with the chemotherapy, it was the radiotherapy that felt worse. You do think, am I going to get out of it or is it going to come back at some point and that is always on the back of your mind. Every so often you think what if it comes back but you can't think like that.

"For me it was just a little blip that got in the way for a while and I'm probably busier now than I have ever been. There are plenty of people that go through it and get over it and get on with their life as normal. The message is if you feel something do something about it don’t think I will leave it for another day."

There are no monetary prizes for the winning rider of the Newmarket Town Plate but the Golding Perpetual Challenge Plate, a silver photograph frame, £125 Golding voucher and box of Powters celebrated Newmarket Sausages are on offer.

Rennie added: "I'm sure I will be very nervous on the day. I've got to get to the start first as he is a handful. It is a case of doing what you can and being ready for the day.

"I'm massively under pressure from the yard. They are expecting the win and they are already eating the sausages! The pressure is all on me. I don't want to disappoint anybody so I want to win as well.

"If I say I'm going to do something I generally go on and do it. I'm quite a competitive person so once I said I was doing it I couldn't lose face and back down."

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