Jockey Beau Morgan will realise a life-long dream when he competes at the Cheltenham Festival for the first time next week.

The just-turned 19-year-old is booked to ride Twig in the Ultima Handicap Chase on Tuesday (2.50pm) and what makes the occasion all the more special is that the nine-year-old is owned by his mum Georgia.

“It’s really exciting, it would be great if he could have a good run and pick up a bit of prize money,” said Morgan, a conditional jockey with Naunton-based trainer Ben Pauling.

Morgan, whose brother Luca was crowned champion conditional jockey last season, has had a good campaign – he’s ridden 13 winners – and he certainly believes Twig, who is trained by Pauling, can put in a big performance on the biggest stage of all. 

“We don’t want too much rain, we need the rain to slow down a bit, but if it does we might have a sneaky chance,” Morgan said.

“He’s in great form and he always seems to run well at Cheltenham, he’s had three second-placed finishes there.

“He’s such a consistent horse, he’s definitely got a chance of a place. He always seems to deliver something.

“He didn’t run well in his last race but that was because he wasn’t well, we weren’t sure whether to run him or not.

“He’s had a little break and now he’s fit and well. Hopefully he’ll be able to deliver.”

That most recent race was at Newbury in December but in the five races before that he won three and finished second twice, both times at Cheltenham.

And Twig’s record – he’s won seven times under Rules – is all the more impressive when you consider that he was bought for next to nothing three or four years ago.

“We got him for peanuts,” said Morgan, who was 15 at the time.

“He had two races on the Flat and didn’t do very well but my brother Luca said he’d keep him for me and take him point-to-pointing to see if he could jump. It turned out he could jump!”

So much so that he won a series of point-to-points and Morgan continued: “Since then he’s been racking up the winners under Rules, he’s a 140-plus horse.” 

Pauling has been racking up the winners this season, too, and Morgan believes there’s every chance the stable could have a very good Festival.

Pauling is among the top 10 trainers in the country along with fellow Gloucestershire trainers Nigel Twiston-Davies, Jonjo O’Neill and Fergal O’Brien.

All of them will be hoping to be in the winners’ enclosure  next week of course – O’Brien is looking for his first Festival winner – and while it’s always good to see local trainers have success, Morgan will obviously be hoping that Pauling is the pick of the bunch.

Ask him for a particular fancy and he says Bowtogreatness in the Kim Muir on Thursday (5.30pm).

Morgan, meanwhile, is hopeful of picking up a ride in the Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle on the Friday (5.30pm), the final race of the four-day Festival.