It's 20 years since the white-faced Noland thundered up the Cheltenham hill in a blaze of glory for Festival legend Ruby Walsh. His rival AP McCoy, the target on Straw Bear, the Irishman went into overdrive to make up a seven-length deficit up the final climb.

Only 14th with three to jump, the task of catching the perennial champion jockey had looked impossible and Noland, owned by the late John Hales, hit 999-1 in-running. But he came out of the Supreme Novices' Hurdle as one of Walsh's greatest ever winners of the record 59 he notched, kickstarting the week in thrilling fashion.

Noland or 'Nobby' is now taking life at a steadier pace, living with a 30-year-old Shetland pony called Rupert Bear in Staffordshire and crunching his way through packets of Polos.

"He follows Noland everywhere," said Jodie Smith, who has been caring for the ex-Paul Nicholls trainee for 12 years, after getting to know the Hales family through a friend.

"They're little and large and really love each other."

The relaxed scene is a far cry from life at Ditcheat, where Noland shared the gallops with 'The Tank' Denman and future all-time great Kauto Star, plus another Hales-owned up-and-comer, Neptune Collonges.

The owner, who sadly died at the age of 85 just over a year ago, retired the grey after his 2012 Grand National heroics by the smallest-ever margin.

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And despite the chaser advancing in years, he is still on the guest list at the annual Aintree weights event each February, where he parades for his fans.

"The Hales family care for their horses impeccably," said Jodie. "I speak to John's widow Pat regularly and they once came to see me ride Noland in a show, after he was retrained.

"We have had some great days together and he is my horse of a lifetime."

Following his epic late Cheltenham lunge, an injury kept Noland off the track for 678 days and he got going again by adapting to fences at now defunct Folkestone in January 2008.

Only third in that year's Arkle, McCoy gained a revenge of sorts by teaming up with him in the 2011 Grade Two Aon Chase at Newbury, but no moment could match that spring day at Prestbury Park.

Two decades on, Jodie is heading to the Festival for the first time to experience Ladies Day, which returns for the first time in seven years on March 11.

"Noland came up the hill like a lion," she said. "He might be 25 but if he doesn't want his rug changed, he can still rocket around and you can't catch him!

"It will be lovely to go to Cheltenham to see where he starred all those years ago."