Tom George is heading to the Cheltenham Festival in pretty good spirits.

The trainer, based in the beautiful Slad Valley just outside Stroud, has enjoyed a stellar couple of years and it would come as no surprise to see him celebrating in the winner’s enclosure at Prestbury Park some time over March 13th, 14th, 15th or 16th.

“Last season was good,” the experienced trainer said. “We broke through the £1 million prizemoney barrier and finished eighth in the trainers’ table.”

And he’s built on that success this season. When he spoke to The Local Answer, he’d already won about £600,000 and was sitting in sixth spot in the trainers’ table.

As he said, albeit with a considerable amount of understatement: “We’ve kept it going.”

Having good horses is one of the keys to success, of course, and George has certainly got quite a few of those.

“Yes, we’ve got some quality horses,” he said. “We’re more quality over quantity.”

So who are the stable stars?

“God’s Own, The Worlds End, Double Shuffle, Summerville Boy,” he said. “Summerville Boy is the new kid on the block.”

That fab four are all entered for the Cheltenham showpiece, of course, when George’s supporters will be hoping that he can improve on a record that shows he has enjoyed only one winner at the festival.

That came way back in 2002 when Galileo won the Sun Alliance Novices’ Hurdle and it is a record that does scant justice to George’s standing in the racing game.

Not that George, who is in his 23rd year as a trainer, is too worried.

“We’ve hit the goalpost a few times but just not found the back of the net,” he mused. “The ball just hasn’t fallen for us on the day. We’ve had a lot of winners at Cheltenham at other meetings.”

He certainly has but like everyone else involved with a horse that is running at the festival, he’d love nothing more than to experience the thrill of seeing his charge cross the finishing line first.

“I do enjoy the festival, but it is tough,” he admitted. “It’s pretty full-on. Because we live so close to the course we do a lot of entertaining that week. Owners come for breakfast and see their horses before the races, it’s our shop window.”

It’s a special time of year for everyone involved in jumps racing and these days there’s certainly a special feel around Down Farm, from where George operates, because of all the recent success.

“What’s happening now with the performances of the horses isn’t just the result of the last six weeks’ work,” said George. “It’s the last six years and even longer than that.

“We started off with just three horses and built it up from there. It’s hard work and there have been lots of highs and lows but we’re doing okay at the moment.”

George is quick to stress that’s it’s no one-man operation and in addition to the strong team that he has assembled he has the close support of his immediate family.

His wife Sophie is very much hands-on as is his oldest son, 18-year-old Noel.

Noel’s brother Archie, 16, who is still at school, also likes the horses, although, says his dad with a chuckle, “He likes going to the races but he doesn’t like getting up at six in the morning!”

If you get the impression that George quite likes his job, then you’d probably be right.

“I’m living in my childhood home and I wouldn’t swap it for anywhere else in the world,” he said.

“It’s a great area. It’s probably not as rural as it used to be but we’re still in an unspoilt valley.”

So how long does George plan to continue as a trainer?

“I’m 50 so hopefully there’s a few more years in me yet,” he laughed, “but I’ll keep going for the time being until one of the boys wants to take over.”

That’s a while off yet, of course, but more immediately, what would be a good Cheltenham Festival for him?

“For all the horses to run well and come home in one piece,” he said.