Leading female rider Rachael Blackmore last season gained her first two Cheltenham festival winners and this year has received huge market support to go on and be the top jockey across the four day meeting.
Blackmore at the 2019 festival made a dream start to the meeting when landing her first winner on the Tuesday in the then named Close Brothers Novices Handicap with this year's Ryanair Chase favourite A Plus Tard bolting up.
She managed to become only the second female jockey to land a Grade One over obstacles when again for Henry De Bromhead she scored on 50/1 shot Minella Indo in the Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle.
The jockey has not just become one of the best female riders in racing over the last few years but one of the most consistent jockeys in the entire national hunt racing scene and punters this season believe she can top what she did at Prestbury Park Last term.
She has a great book of rides ahead this year's greatest show on turf with the stand out mounts being 11/4 favourite for the Racing Post Arkle Chase, and Honeysuckle and 15/8 second-favourite for the Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle.
Other big rides include in the Triumph Hurdle with the highly talented Aspire Tower at 13/2 and looking for back to back Cheltenham festival winners with Minella Indo as he goes over fences in the RSA Chase.
With many great chances including in the big handicaps she has halved in price to become the 2020 jockey champion having been 8/1 and now 4/1.
(Credit Racing Post) “Rachael Blackmore is expected to have a great book of rides and our customers cannot get enough of her,” said William Hill spokesman Rupert Adams.
Paddy Power have also seen interest in the jockey betting market for Blackmore with her moving into 9/2 from a previous 6/1 but still Paul Townend and Davy Russell lead the way at the top of the market.
“We were 6-1 on the opening show last week, but she’s now down to 9-2,” spokesman Paul Binfield said.
“Rachael Blackmore is enjoying a brilliant season, and has given so many horses wonderful rides.
“Punters have latched on to that as well as the fact that she will have the opportunity to partner leading contenders such as Honeysuckle and Notebook, who appears to have strong claims in the Racing Post Arkle.
“She is a superb rider, and is bound to pick up plenty of fancied, outside rides in the handicaps. It’s not surprising that plenty of people think she has a massive chance of winning the Cheltenham Festival jockeys’ title.”