Top Jockeys
The top jockey for the festival is the jockey who wins the most races over the four days and in the event of a tie then seconds, thirds and even fourth placed finishes will be taken into account.
2009 Ruby Walsh (7)
2008 Ruby Walsh (3)
2007 Robert Thornton (4)
2006 Ruby Walsh (3)
2005 Graham Lee (3)
2004 Ruby Walsh (3)
2003 Barry Geraghty (5)
2002 Richard Johnson (2)
2001 Cancelled – foot & mouth
2000 Mick Fitzgerald (4)
1999 Mick Fitzgerald (4)
1998 Tony McCoy (5)
1997 Tony McCoy (3)
1996 Richard Dunwoody (2)
1995 Norman Williamson (4)
1994 Charlie Swan (3)
1993 Charlie Swan (4)
1992 Jamie Osborne (5)
1991 Peter Scudamore (2)
1990 Richard Dunwoody (2)
The betting for the 2010 Cheltenham Festival jockey’s title sees the winner for the past two years, Ruby Walsh, heading the market at around 4/7 and with rides like Kauto Star (Gold Cup), Master Minded (QM Champion Chase) and Big Buck’s (World Hurdle) it’s easy to see why. Add in other leading fancies like Celestial Halo (Champion Hurdle), Poquelin (Ryanair Chase) and the fact he’s bound to be on one of Willie Mullins leading hopes in the bumper further adds to his armoury – Walsh has in fact won jockey’s title four times in the last six years!
Ok, so it looks unlikely with that book of rides Ruby will be beaten, but you never know and because he’s such a short price this means that if you do fancy anyone else then you will at least be rewarded with an excellent return.
Next in the betting is Barry Geraghty and he’ll be mainly pinning his hopes on Nicky Henderson’s runners like Punchestowns (RSA Chase), Punjabi (Champion Hurdle) and Barbers Shop (Ryanair Chase). Geraghty is no stranger to finding the winners’ enclosure at Prestbury Park having won the title with 5 wins back in 2003 – he can be backed at BestPrice 5/1, being as low as 11/4.
The Champ, AP McCoy, will certainly have his supporters with his ‘no surrender’ riding style, and at around 7/1 that’s a tempting price. He’ll be hoping the Jonjo O’Neill yard continue in the good form they have been going into the festival, but, for me, he doesn’t look to have much in the form of banker material and will be hoping that Ruby’s hot-pots slip up if he’s to cause an upset. This has been a similar pattern in recent years too, as you have to go back to 1998 to find the last time AP was the most successful jock at the meeting.
Away from this trio it’s really ‘name your price’ on the rest with Robert ‘Choc’ Thornton next best at BestPrice 16/1, Paul Carberry 33/1, Richard Johnson 33/1 and Paddy Brennan 50/1.
Click here for the best Cheltenham Festival Betting Odds
Added Features
Top Tipster, A-Z Horse Search, Horse Alert, Cheltenham 2010 Results