AN Oxfordshire trainer is hoping to strike the right note when she takes part in a singing competition.

Heather Main, who handles about 30 horses at Kingston Lisle, near Wantage, is into the final 24 of the Furlong Factor.

Her heat is on Sunday, where she hopes to make it through to the final, broadcast by Sky Sports Racing on Saturday, May 9.

The competition is in aid of charity Racing Welfare and Main, who is a trained opera singer, cannot wait.

She said: “I thought I needed to help raise some money because it’s tough for everybody at the moment.

“It’s a bit of fun as well.”

Main’s heat will be held between 8-10pm on the Racing Welfare’s Twitter feed and will be decided by a public vote.

It helps provide a distraction from the difficulties in the day job, with racing suspended due to the coronavirus.

But the news that the sport in France is due to return on May 11 behind closed doors has given everyone a boost.

Main said: “We are all working twice as hard as normal, but we are very lucky because we work outside.

“We are really hoping we will follow on from France.”