The former model is beginning to get noticed through her handling of four-legged fillies in a sport where girl power is currently booming.

Thanks to the exploits of the two-year-old Rosabee, who cost just 4,400, and multiple winner Paraguay, Haigh has her sights firmly set on the racing's big league.

Rosabee notched up a nine-day hat-trick last month before finishing an honourable second in the Group Two Princess Margaret Stakes, the main supporting race at Ascot on King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes day, Haigh's first runner in a Pattern contest.

"We've got the taste of Group races and we want more of it,'' said 38-year-old Haigh.

"Rosabee has been absolutely fantastic. It's been my dream to have a two-year-old like that. I absolutely love fillies. It's great when you get an honest one that really tries for you.

"She'll be prepared for the Cheveley Park and she might go abroad in the meantime.

"She's just having a break as she did knock a joint which is why I took her out of a race the other week.

"She had four races in 18 days and for a two-year-old that's quite a hard slog.

"She was extremely cheap and was one of the nine yearlings I bought last year for less than £40,000.

"I'm having a tremendous time of it this year. We've just been planning to upgrade the bloodstock for next season with the yearling sales coming round again.

"I've got less than 20 horses, yet we've had 10 winners and quite a lot of placed horses.''

Yorkshire-born Haigh trains just over the county border in Nottinghamshire at Wiseton Hall, owned by businessman Richard Budge.

"We've got 23 boxes and have planning permission for a barn for another 40 boxes. It's going to be nice to expand.

"We're only 20 minutes away from Doncaster and right in the middle of the country where all the main motorway networks are. I can get to Goodwood and Musselburgh in the same amount of time. It's fantastic.''

She sent out her first winner from her historic new base two years ago, having first took out a licence in 2000 just a few miles away at Bawtry.

She had a well-publicised split with former patron Willie McKay over the filly Ooh Aah Camara in 2005, but has quickly bounced back.

"I was called the comeback kid at lunch the other day and I was reminded that I used to borrow money for petrol to get me home,'' she added.

"You have to have your ups and downs to appreciate the good. When you get handed a lot of things on a plate you become very blase.

"It would be nice to have a bigger budget and I've had some clients come to me thanks to all the success I've had.

"I do see myself as a top trainer in the future, I really do. A lot of top trainers like Barry Hills and Jim Bolger started with nothing. My objective is to get in the Premiership and stay there.

"My Dad played for Doncaster Rovers years ago and football is a bit like racing. They need money to buy good players and I need money to buy decent horses.

"I thought I'd got my genes from my grandfather, who owned racehorses, but I think it's a little bit of a mixture.

"My Dad had four girls and I'm the youngest. I think I probably should have been a boy. I turned out like one, I suppose, as I've been a jump jockey.''

Haigh heaped praise on Britain's leading female Flat jockey Hayley Turner.

"I admire Hayley Turner. She's had a good mentor in Michael Bell. He's directed her down the right path and she's good,'' she said.

"I always wanted to be a jockey. It was a bit of a natural progression to be a trainer and I just love being around horses and I really don't think I'd want to work with anything else.

"I love my life and I love all the challenges. I don't want everything to be easy. Why would I want that?''


TODAY'S BEST

DUKE'S DOUBLE

Welsh Opera (4.30 Great Leighs), nap and Caranbola (3.45 Ripon).

DUKE'S TREBLE

Welsh Opera, Caranbola and Hilbre Court (4.00 Great Leighs).

JULIUS'S DOUBLE

Rose Street (3.15 Ripon), nap and Thunderous Mood (3.45 Ripon).

FORMNAP

Charlie Tokyo (3.15 Ripon).