Tom Segal - Racing Post 2020 - The Secrets Of Pricewise
'...a factor I have been banging the drum on for about 30 years now - and still I'm amazed to hear punters say they don't consider it an important factor - is jockeys. It's as if many punters think horse racing is like motor racing in that if you put any reasonably competent driver in a Mercedes or a Ferrari they would be at the front.
But horse racing is a totally different kettle of fish, where it's extremely difficult to get any horse from A to B in the quickest possible way. Of course the.. (top jockeys).. make mistakes but the vast majority of the time their mounts are in the right place, they don't go for home too soon, and they very rarely find trouble in running.'
TOP FESTIVAL JOCKEYS - 2020 to 2025 - Townend 23 wins, Blackmore 15 (rtd), Walsh M 10, de Boinville 6, Skelton , Kennedy both 6, Mullins (P) 5, Cobden, Donughue both 4.
Unsurprisingly, Paul's week once again, 16 rides, four winners including Kargese for back to back County Hurdles. Two G1 favourites plus Jasmin de Vaux in the Albert Barlett. In 2024 it was 15 rides, seven winners. This year down -1 on the five yr average. retaining a 25% strike rate. Mark Walsh with four winners the big mover. Seems a shame that this is to be his final Festival as JP's No1. One of his few Festivals to have more winners than seconds. Rachael retired with a de Bromhead Thursday brace . Danny Gilligan rode a double as did Jonjo Jnr with consecutive rides. (Momentum?) Nico and the two Harrys, Skelton and Cobden ticking along with one each. P Townend has gone from 16 to 23 over the last four years for the five yr spread. Jack Kennedy had 17 rides, seven in the first four home, mirroring a somewhat frustrating week for Cullentra. That's 37 rides over the last two Festivals with Teahupoo 2024 Stayers, his only winner. Barry Geraghty leaves the list, his 2020 five timer now a wonderful memory. JP finished top owner (again) £650k in front of Robcour.
Davy Russell had at least one winner every Festival between 2006 and 2018. Barry in 2020 and Ruby in 2009 are the only two to have won a race on all four days. Ruby had a winner at every Festival from 2002 to 2019. Barry rode a winner at every Cheltenham Festival from 2002 to 2020 except 2017, when injured. 1. P Townend no winner on the Thursday in the last three Festivals.
Best jockey performance at the moment over the last five years is P Townend on 25%. JJ Codd's ten festival winners is the post-war record for an amateur, beating Jim Wilson's score of seven including the Gold Cup on Little Owl. The record is owned by Harry Brown. A 14-winner all-time record which was achieved between 1911 and 1928. Harry was actually crowned champion jockey in Britain in 1919 against the pros. Delargy must have told me this. Patrick Mullins has ridden nine Festival winners.
Percentages wins to rides over the 5 yrs - Ruby finished on 25%, Townend 25% atm, Blackmore 20%, Walsh 14% de Boinville, 13%.
All Time Jockeys Festival Wins - Walsh 59, Geraghty 43, Townend 38, McCoy 32, Taaffe 25, Russell 25, Johnson 23, Blackmore 18, Dunwoody 18, Swan 17, Winter 17. The only change here is that Rachael finishes on the page. Excellent. In 2024 Paul Townend moved past AP. Now only 5 behind Barry. Nico on 16, Jack 11.
Jockeys' Festival Rides Cold List - Aidan Coleman, when coming off this list with Paisley Park's Stayers in 2019 said. 'Didn't think this was such a big deal, until it happened.' This sometimes does mirror stable form. For want of a better word then, the current 'leaders' in this category are S Bowen 63 (yet to have one), J Kennedy 28, C Deutsch 27, Sam Twiston Davies 26, J Gainford 22, (Mr PW Mullins 14).
It can happen. Edwardstone in the Arkle gave Tom Cannon his first Festival winner on his 49th attempt. Jonathan Burke's joy noted when Love Envoi got his first after 46 tries.
'The Cheltenham Festival is our biggest stage and I want to be winning there.' Sean Bowen Racing Post 1st February 2026. Bowen
CONDITIONAL JOCKEYS - The record of Conditional Jockeys is addressed in each individual race