Reform UK’s Nigel Farage flew into Cheltenham for Gold Cup Friday – revealing he “loves” having a flutter on the horses. The Reform UK leader took time away from a public row with fellow party MP Rupert Lowe, to enjoy a day of equine glory at the Gloucestershire track.

Gold Cup Day Friday sees seven races that peak at 4pm with the Grade 1 Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup, with Galopin Des Champs the 4/7 red-hot favourite. Wearing pink trousers and a brown trilby, Farage beamed to photographers as he came in by helicopter and through the VIP entrance to the racecourse.

When asked what he thought of having a flutter on the horses he quipped: “I love it!”

Asked what he likes about the Cheltenham Festival he said: “The atmosphere, the people – I’ve been coming here for 40 years. It’s just the most adorable day.”

Nigel Farage, 60, is MP for Clacton, in Essex, and leader of Reform since last year – having previously been its leader from 2019 to 2021.

In 2022 he posted a TikTok video of himself at Cheltenham races saying: “Cheltenham, first race a winner! Here we go!”

Another horseracing fan spotted at Cheltenham on Friday is ex-Tottenham and West Ham boss Harry Redknapp.

Harry, who was also a guest on talkSPORT live at the track this morning, said: “I’ve got Yellow Car today. It was interesting how I came to own this horse.

“Graeme McPherson, the trainer, rang me. I don’t know him that well. I’d met him a little while back.

“He rang up and said, ‘Harry, I’ve got a nice horse in the yard, it won at Doncaster the other week. Would you be interested? It’s called Yellow Car’.

“I said, ‘Not really. I’ve got a lot of horses at the moment, Graeme’. And I put the phone down.

“Suddenly, there was a knock at the door and it was the young girl who comes round to do a bit of tidying, a bit of cleaning, whatever.

“She said, ‘Oh, Harry. Don’t look out in the drive. I’ve taken my car in for a service and look what they’ve given me. This little yellow car’.

“I thought, ‘This is an omen. Oh no, this has been sent from heaven’. So I’ve ended up going back on the phone and buying Yellow Car and he’s here today.”

Asked if the cleaner cost him about £100,000, Harry replied: “Yeah, something like that. The atmosphere here is second to none. It’s amazing. People enjoying themselves, that’s what it’s about.”