Who are the best jockeys at the 2022 Cheltenham Festival?
They grab the headlines, kiss their horses, punch the Prestbury Park air and etch their names into history. Planet Sport’s Jonathan Doidge looks at the Cheltenham Festival jockeys to follow.
It's not just about being on the best horse. Cheltenham Festival races require so much more from a jockey.
Paul Townend
It goes without saying that most of these will be the regular riders for the trainers expected to do best and the Willie Mullins/Paul Townend combination heads that list.
Townend had to wait in the wings for a long time as second jockey to the incomparable Ruby Walsh at the Closutton yard. He rode his first Festival winner in 2011.
Biggest Cheltenham winner: Al Boum Photo (Gold Cup - 2019 and 2020)
Davy Russell
Since then he has only left Prestbury Park empty-handed on two occasions, in 2019 and 2021.
The 42-year-old has now ridden 25 winners at racing's 'Olympics'.
Biggest Cheltenham winner: Lord Windermere (Gold Cup 2014)
Rachael Blackmore
The 2020 Cheltenham Festival saw her partner Honeysuckle to success in the Mares' Hurdle, and the partnership then stepped up to win the 2021 Champion Hurdle, making Blackmore the first female jockey to win hurdling's blue riband.
Biggest Cheltenham winner: Honeysuckle (Champion Hurdle 2021)
Nico De Boinville
Biggest Cheltenham winner: Coneygree (Gold Cup 2015)
Jack Kennedy
Biggest Cheltenham winner: Minella Indo (Gold Cup 2021)
Tom Scudamore
From one of the most famous families in horse racing, Tom Scudamore probably never thought of any other career.
Grandad Michael won the 1959 Grand National on Oxo, and while father Peter could not emulate that, he pushed back the boundaries of what was possible in terms of winners in the saddle, and was an eight-time champion National Hunt jockey. Brother Michael is also a trainer.
Biggest Cheltenham winner: Dynaste (Ryanair Chase 2014)
Mr Jamie Codd
Unique in this list is Jamie Codd, for he is the only amateur jockey contained within.
Amateurs are denoted by carrying a prefix to their name, such as Mr or Miss. However, despite that status, Codd is regularly hailed as being as good as the professionals.
In the professional sport, he has ridden over 300 winners, with 10 of those coming at the Cheltenham Festival.
It is worth noting that, not every race at the meeting can be contested by professional jockeys, and this man is much sought after in the amateur races, while also getting rides against the pros too.
Codd's association with the Gordon Elliott-trained Cause Of Causes has proved particularly fruitful at Cheltenham. The partnership was successful in three successive years and three different races.
Biggest Cheltenham winner: Fayonagh (Champion Bumper 2017); Envoi Allen (Champion Bumper 2019)
Harry Skelton
Much like brother Dan, here is a man for the future. Skelton has ridden three of those winners trained by his brother to win, plus 2019 Queen Mother Champion Chase scorer Politologue, for Paul Nicholls.
Biggest Cheltenham winner: Politologue (Champion Chase 2019)