Festival Diary

Olive Jackson, the owner of the 1978 Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Midnight Court, trained by Fred Winter and ridden by John Francome, died a couple of weeks ago, shortly before her two favourite occasions of the year; Crufts – she was an avid Airedale terrier breeder and bred over 80 champions – and the Cheltenham Festival.

Midnight Court won jump racing’s blue riband in April after snow caused the postponement of the Thursday, which was the last day of the Festival in those days.

Her funeral was a fortnight ago, when it snowed. Although it was not postponed, an estimated 100 friends were unable to make it.

Sir Edward Cazalet, 81, a retired High Court judge and son of the Queen Mother’s trainer Peter Cazalet, returned to the scene of his greatest sporting triumph yesterday as the guest of Lady Oaksey.

Sir Edward won the 1958 Kim Muir Handicap Chase on Lochroe, trained by his father, and beat Chickey Oaksey’s late husband, John, into second place.

He has the rare distinction of being the only High Court judge to have ridden a Cheltenham Festival winner – something that not even all-conquering Willie Mullins has managed to achieve.