Childhood leukaemia: How winning race horse ‘changed everything’

“We were having a particularly bad day with Betsy at home and I wasn’t even interested,” says Charlotte.

“I wasn’t going to watch it but my mother-in-law and my mother were like ‘come on, we’ll put it on, it’s nice for her to see her daddy on telly’.”

Little did she know the horse was about to run the race of his life.

“It was so emotional, I was jumping around the place after the first fence,” says Charlotte.

Betsy adds: “All I remember is mum screaming up and down. I had a headache as well – and that made it worse.”

“I’m sorry,” giggles Charlotte.

It was the tonic the family needed.

“It was just that kick up the bum that said ‘come on, things are going to be alright, it isn’t all doom and gloom, we’re going to have some happiness along the way’,” says Charlotte.

“It changed things for us, gave us a focus… something to look forward to.”