Category: Jockeys

How many jockeys have recorded back-to-back victories in the Grand National?

In 2021, Rachael Blackmore made history by becoming the first female jockey to win the Grand National and, although currently sidelined with injury, may well attempt to become the first female jockey to record back-to-back victories in 2022. In the history of the Grand National, which dates back to 1839, nine of her male counterparts have already done so and one of them, George Stevens – the most successful jockey in the history of the Grand National – actually did so twice.

The first jockey to win the Grand National in consecutive years was Tom Olliver on Gaylad in 1842 and Vanguard in 1843. He was followed by Stevens, on Emblem in 1863 and 1864 and, again, on The Colonel in 1868 and 1869. ‘Gentleman’ riders John Richardson and Tommy Beasley won on Disturbance and Reigny in 1873 and 1874 and Empress and Woodcock in 1880 and 1881, respectively, as did Ted Wilson on Voluptuary in 1884 and Roquefort in 1885.

Bryan Marshall, who rode Early Mist in 1953 and Royal Tan in 1954, was the next back-to-back winner, followed by Brian Fletcher on Red Rum in 1973 and 1974 and Leighton Aspell on Pineau De Re in 2014 and Many Clouds in 2015. The most recent back-to-back winner was Davy Russell, who rode Tiger Roll in both 2018 and 2019.

Which jockey has ridden the most winners at a single Cheltenham Festival?

Unsurprisingly, the jockey who has ridden the most winners at a single Cheltenham Festival is Rupert ‘Ruby’ Walsh. Walsh is, far and way, the most successful jockey in the history of the Cheltenham Festival, with 59 winners – 16 more than his nearest rival, Barry Geraghty – to his name. He retired from race riding in May, 2019, but is immortalised by the ‘Ruby Walsh Trophy’, which is presented to the leading jockey at the Cheltenham Festival each year.

Walsh, himself, was leading jockey at the Cheltenham Festival on no fewer than eleven occasions between 2004 and 2017, including five years running between 2013 and 2017. In 2009 – the year in which he won the Queen Mother Champion Chase on Master Minded, the World Hurdle on Big Buck’s and the Cheltenham Gold Cup on Kauto Star, all trained by Paul Nicholls – Walsh rode seven winners in total, setting a new record. Seven years later, in 2016, he equalled his own record by again riding seven winners, all trained by Willie Mullins, including Annie Power in the Champion Hurdle. In 2021, Rachael Blackmore, who rode six winners to become the first female jockey to win the Ruby Walsh Trophy, came as close as anyone else ever has to equalling the record.

Which current jockey has ridden the most winners at the Cheltenham Festival?

Following the retirement of Richard Johnson on April 3, 2021, the current jockey who has ridden the most winners at the Cheltenham Festival is David ‘Davy’ Russell. Russell has, like Johnson, ridden 22 winners, a total exceeded only by countrymen Ruby Walsh, Barry Geraghty, A.P. McCoy and Pat Taaffe.

Russell, 42, spent nearly a year on the sidelines as the result of serious vertebrae injury sustained in a fall from Doctor Duffy in the Munster National at Limerick in October, 2020, and missed the 2021 Cheltenham Festival on medical advice. At the time of writing, he has yet to resume race riding, but has been riding out for Gordon Elliott and is reportedly ready to return when called upon to do so.

Russell rode his first Cheltenham winner, Native Jack, in what is now the Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase in 2006. Thereafter, with the exception of 2019, he rode at least one winner at every Cheltenham Festival up to, and including, 2020. At the 2014 Cheltenham Festival, Russell rode three winners for the first time, including Lord Windermere in the Cheltenham Gold Cup. He bettered that total in 2014 and his four winners – Presenting Percy in the RSA Novices’ Chase, Balko Des Flos in the Ryanair Chase, Delta Work in the Pertemps Final and The Storyteller in the Brown Advisory & Merriebelle Stable Plate – were sufficient to win him the leading jockey award for the one and only time.

When did Rachael Blackmore ride her first winner at the Cheltenham Festival?

It would be fair to say Tipperary-born Rachael Blackmore enjoyed an ‘annus mirabilis’ in 2021. At the Cheltenham Festival in March, she made history by becoming the first female jockey to win the Champion Hurdle, on Honeysuckle, and capped a stellar week by becoming the first to win the leading jockey award. The following month, she achieved another notable first when partnering Minella Times to a 6½-length victory in the Grand National at Aintree. A fracture ankle and hip injury, sustained at in a fall at Killarney in July, took the shine off an otherwise remarkable year, but served as a timely reminder of the dangers National Hunt jockeys face every day.

Blackmore did not turn professional until 2015, but became Irish champion conditional jockey in 2016/17. She subsequently joined forces with Waterford trainer Henry de Bromhead and, thus, began a meteoric rise that would take her right to the top of her profession. She rode her first Cheltenham Festival winner, A Plus Tard, in the Close Brothers Novices’ Handicap in 2019 and her second, Minella Indo, in the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle three days later. Ironically, two years later, it was Minella Indo who prevented Blackmore from becoming the first female jockey to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup, staying on gamely to beat A Plus Tard by 1¼ lengths.

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