The biggest names in the weighing room will accompany the gladiators out at Cheltenham in four weeks’ time. But who among them is best primed for Festival glory in 2025? We preview the leading five contenders to be top jockey at this year’s Cheltenham Festival below.
Paul Townend
It was an historic Cheltenham Festival last season for Willie Mullins but his success since the retirement of Ruby Walsh would have been significantly less had Paul Townend not ensured such a seamless transition between stable jockeys.
Townend won six races at the Festival last season, landing the Champion Hurdle-Gold Cup double on State Man and Galopin Des Champs, while also claiming the Arkle, Mares’ Hurdle, Turners Novices’ Hurdle and County Hurdle. A number of his 2024 heroes and heroines will be returning.
State Man and Lossiemouth may provide an unenviable choice for him in the Champion Hurdle this time around, while Galopin Des Champs goes for a third straight Gold Cup. The Mullins stranglehold over the novice divisions gives him further chances on the likes of Kopek Des Bordes (Supreme), Final Demand (Turners), Maughreen (Mares’ Novices’) and Ballyburn (Brown Advisory).
Should he win all of those aforementioned races, he would match last year’s total before even taking into account handicaps, or the likes of Gaelic Warrior in the Champion Chase and Allegorie De Vassy in the Mares’ Chase.
Nico De Boinville
The stable jockey for Nicky Henderson, Nico De Boinville endured an equally difficult 2024 Festival as his trainer. Without the firepower to call upon from the likes of Constitution Hill and Jonbon, he not only failed to register a winner, but did not have one finish in the first three either.
This year should be different. Constitution Hill and Jonbon are back and are strong favourites for the first two championship races, the Champion Hurdle and Queen Mother Champion Chase, on the Tuesday and Wednesday. With Paul Townend boasting such a strong hand, victories on that pair will be imperative to his top jockey chances.
Beyond them, Lulamba is likely to be well supported in the Triumph Hurdle after his striking debut at Ascot, while Lucky Place and Jango Baie are two names who could step up in the Stayers’ Hurdle and Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase.
It is unlikely he can quite scale the heights that Townend can, but if one or two winners hide away for him in the handicaps, he has an outside chance.
Mark Walsh
The retained rider for JP McManus in Ireland, Mark Walsh receives the opportunities to ride any in the green and gold, including first strings for the likes of Willie Mullins and Gavin Cromwell. He even gets the nod ahead of Paul Townend.
Depending on where the cards fall, Walsh could end up with a few strong fancies throughout the week. Majborough is already one in the Arkle, while Fact To File would be another in the Ryanair Chase if connections decide not to pursue a run in the Cheltenham Gold Cup. The two Mares’ Chase favourites are Dinoblue and Bioluminescence, between whom Walsh would have his pick for either Mullins or Cromwell.
Kawaboomga has looked an exciting novice hurdler too, while Corbetts Cross would have an outside chance in the Gold Cup so there is depth to his possibilities. Six of his rides made the frame a year ago, the same number as Townend, but whereas all of Cheltenham’s champion jockey’s were winners, Walsh had to settle for three seconds and a third.
A bit more luck, and some tactical placements from McManus, and Walsh could be in for an exciting week.
Rachael Blackmore
Jumps racing makes the front pages whenever Rachael Blackmore is around. She saved her two wins last season for some significant moments, landing the opening Supreme Novices’ Hurdle on Slade Steel, and the Champion Chase on Captain Guinness.
Both are virtual outcasts in the betting for any races at this year’s meeting, such is the fast-orbiting world of the Cheltenham Festival. However, while De Bromhead does not possess quite the firepower he had when landing the Champion Hurdle, Champion Chase and Gold Cup in the same year in 2021, there are still some potential stars in there.
The novice hurdle events may have to come big for Blackmore, with Workahead having promised much on debut ahead of the Supreme this year, while galloping mare The Big Westerner looks to have a live shout in the Albert Bartlett. Handicaps may otherwise have to come up trumps, although positive things have been said for Monty’s Star’s chances in the Gold Cup should stamina come to the fore too.
Harry Skelton
2024 represented an immensely successful Cheltenham Festival for Harry Skelton. With brother Dan cannily plotting his horses to the meeting, Harry ended up riding all four of the yard’s winners across the campaign, finishing second among last year’s top jockeys. He will be hoping for more of the same 12 months on.
Langer Dan will probably step up from handicaps this season for a long-shot tilt at the Stayers’ Hurdle, but Unexpected Party will bid to retain his Grand Annual title and could be joined in the Skeltons’ handicapping ranks by Valgrand in the County Hurdle.
Grade 1 successes were earned last term by Grey Dawning, who could still attempt to prize the Gold Cup from Galopin Des Champs, and Protektorat, a ready winner of the Ryanair who has warmed up for his defence in superb style already. Meanwhile, the pair may break unchartered territory in the novice hurdle division with The New Lion in the Turners Novices’ Hurdle.
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