Trainer Charlotte Littlefield heads home to the UK in a little over a week to ride in a charity race at the Glorious Goodwood Festival.
The Magnolia Cup is a renowned charity event which this year is supporting Education Above All and is raising funds to help provide access to education, skills and opportunity for children and young women facing poverty, conflict and disadvantage around the world.
Littlefield is trying to emulate Lizzie Jelfs deeds when she won the Magnolia Cup, the opening race on Ladies Day at Goodwood in 2024.
This year’s race will be staged on Thursday July 30.
Littlefield, who grew up not far from Goodwood, has started to ride more trackwork and making regular visits to the gym in her bid to win the Magnolia Cup.
“I started taking it a little easier on trackwork over the last six to 12 months because of the good riders available and I like to watch trackwork, but it’s been good for me as I’ve got back into it and I’ve really focussed on the riding,” Littlefield said.
“I love it and I think that’s one of my strengths as a trainer being able to ride my own horses and I’ve ridden more each morning, ridden a few more gallops, and really enjoying it.”
Littlefield said she had taken the training seriously as the race was for a good cause.
She said the work had trimmed a few kilos and improved her overall fitness as she did not want to be the one at the end going ‘oh God’.
“I’ve been at the gym twice a week,” Littlefield said.
“I’m not very good at the gym, so I’ve had to have some personal training with Maddison Morris who had to drive me quite hard at the start and keep me focussed.
“I wanted to lose a few kilos while also being nice and strong and fit and not too heavy.”
Littlefield said there was going to be a strong supporter base heading to Goodwood, including her father coming over from the south of France.
“I used to live down the road (from Goodwood), so it’s come full circle,” Littlefield said.
“My Dad, who has never really got to see me in action ever, he’s only been out here once, for him to come over and be a part of it, is great.
“I’ll have other friends and family members, it’s going to be very special.”
Littlefield will saddle three runners at Flemington on Saturday – Angel In Black in the ATA Trainers’ Trust Handicap (1400m), Chowdown in the VRC Member Erica McKissack Trophy (1700m) and Tajanis in the Deane Lester Flemington Cup 1849 (2800m).
A win by any of the trio would hopefully see her charity efforts receive a boost, and Littlefield is looking forward to seeing Tajanis stepping back out in trip.
“Tajanis would rather it a little bit heavier as I think it’s going to dry out a bit, but he’s a proper two-mile horse, and to get back up to the 2800 metres after running over 2500 metres will really suit,” Littlefield said.
“He needs every inch of that, and I’ve done a lot of different work with him to keep that interest.
“Eventually he’ll go jumping and we’ve done a lot of work behind the scenes educating him and for me, it takes a year, at least, to educate one, and next year he will be competitive.
“He’s a tough horse, a nice horse to deal with, and I hope he can find that form when he was third in the Sandown Cup.”
