The 2025 Cheltenham Festival is set to get underway on Tuesday next week, and anticipation is building for another four days of top-class National Hunt racing. For jockeys, winning at Cheltenham is a career-defining achievement, with victories in the marquee races – such as the Gold Cup, Champion Hurdle, and Queen Mother Champion Chase – cementing their place in racing history.
Yet, a select few have gone beyond simply winning; they have dominated the event for sustained periods of their respective careers, forging a legacy that will be remembered for generations.
As we gear up for another thrilling edition of Cheltenham, it’s a fitting time to pay homage to some of the greatest jockeys who have graced this iconic meeting. Their enduring legacy continues to inspire the riders of today, who are on course to join them among the all-time greats.
Ruby Walsh – 59 Cheltenham Festival Wins
When it comes to Cheltenham Festival legends, one name stands above all – Ruby Walsh. With an astonishing 59 wins, he remains the most successful jockey in the Festival’s history. His dominance at Prestbury Park was such that he was crowned Leading Jockey at the meeting eleven times, including twice achieving a remarkable seven wins across four days.
Walsh’s most memorable Cheltenham triumphs include:
- Two Cheltenham Gold Cups (Kauto Star, 2007 & 2009)
- Four Champion Hurdles
- Three Queen Mother Champion Chases
He also holds the incredible record of being the first jockey to ride four winners in a single day at the Festival, a feat he achieved in 2017. Walsh’s partnership with Irish trainer Willie Mullins saw him guide some of the most famous horses in Festival history to victory, including Hurricane Fly, Faugheen, Douvan, and Annie Power.
Even in retirement, Walsh’s influence on Cheltenham remains strong. His insights as a racing pundit continue to shape discussions around the sport, and his record-breaking tally still stands as the benchmark for aspiring jump jockeys.
Barry Geraghty – 43 Cheltenham Festival Wins
Close behind Walsh’s legendary status is Barry Geraghty, who amassed 43 Festival victories during his glittering career. A supremely talented and adaptable rider, Geraghty became Leading Jockey at Cheltenham twice, most notably in 2003 when he rode five winners, setting a record at the time. He repeated the feat in 2012, once again being crowned the Festival’s top rider.
Geraghty’s most notable wins at Cheltenham include:
- Two Cheltenham Gold Cups (Kicking King, 2005 & Bobs Worth, 2013)
- Five Queen Mother Champion Chases
- Four Champion Hurdles
His final Champion Hurdle victory came in 2020 aboard Nicky Henderson’s Epatante. This moment underlined his class and ability to deliver on the biggest stage time and time again as he neared retirement. Having called time on his career shortly after, Geraghty remains one of the Festival’s most respected figures.
Sir AP McCoy – 31 Cheltenham Festival Wins
When discussing the greatest National Hunt jockeys, Sir AP McCoy is a name that always comes up. The 20-time Champion Jockey was a relentless competitor, and his 31 victories at Prestbury Park solidified his place among the all-time greats.
McCoy was crowned Leading Jockey at Cheltenham twice, in 1997 and 1998, and his biggest wins at the Festival include:
- Two Cheltenham Gold Cups (Mr Mulligan, 1997 & Synchronised, 2012)
- Three Champion Hurdles
- One Queen Mother Champion Chase
McCoy’s success wasn’t just about talent – it was about sheer determination and unwavering resilience. His fearless riding style and unmatched work ethic made him a favourite among punters and trainers alike. His 2012 Gold Cup victory aboard Synchronised remains one of the most emotional and inspiring moments in Festival history, showcasing his ability to produce career-defining rides on the grandest stage.
Pat Taaffe – 25 Cheltenham Festival Wins
Few jockeys have left an imprint on Cheltenham quite like Pat Taaffe. Though he rode in a different era, his 25 Festival wins remain an astonishing achievement. With most of his victories coming in steeplechases – 22 of them, to be exact- he holds a higher win percentage than any other Festival jockey.
Taaffe’s most iconic moments came aboard the legendary Arkle, with whom he secured three consecutive Gold Cup victories in 1964, 1965, and 1966. Even after Arkle retired, Taaffe wasn’t done – he won the Gold Cup again in 1968 with Fort Leney. He shares the record as the jockey with the most Gold Cup wins (four) alongside Paul Townend.
His ability to judge a race and time his challenge to perfection made him one of the finest riders of his generation. More than 30 years after his passing in 1993, only a handful of jockeys have surpassed his Cheltenham tally – a testament to his enduring legacy.
Richard Johnson – 23 Cheltenham Festival Wins
Another jockey who made a lasting impact on the Cheltenham Festival is Richard Johnson. With 23 Festival wins, Johnson was a model of consistency, winning all four of the championship races at least once.
His most celebrated triumphs include:
- Two Cheltenham Gold Cups (Looks Like Trouble, 2000 & Native River, 2018)
- One Queen Mother Champion Chase (Flagship Uberalles, 2002)
- One Champion Hurdle (Rooster Booster, 2003)
His Gold Cup win on Native River in 2018 was one of the Festival’s great moments – a thrilling battle in testing conditions where Johnson’s tactical nous and stamina came to the fore. His legacy at Cheltenham is defined by his sheer resilience and commitment to the sport, making him one of the most respected figures in National Hunt racing.
Who Could Join the Cheltenham Greats?
While the legends above have already secured their places in history, the current generation of jockeys is looking to carve out their legacies at the Festival. Riders such as Paul Townend, Rachael Blackmore, and Nico de Boinville are all adding to their growing lists of Cheltenham victories.
- Paul Townend already ranks third in the all-time victories list at the age of 34, with the same number of Cheltenham wins, too. He has taken over as Willie Mullins’s stable jockey and won a joint-record four Gold Cups (2019, 2020, 2023, 2024). He is the bookies’ favourite for Gold Cup betting odds to take home a record-breaking fifth title riding Galopin Des Champs, which will cement his name into the long-standing prestige of the event.
- Rachael Blackmore made history in 2021 as the first female rider to be crowned Leading Jockey at the Festival and backed it up by winning the Gold Cup in 2022 on A Plus Tard – the first female jockey to have won the race.
- Nico de Boinville has already won multiple top races, including the Gold Cup (Coneygree, 2015) and Champion Hurdle (Constitution Hill, 2023). This year, he could add more winners to his 16-strong triumph list at the Festival.
With the 2025 Festival fast approaching, these riders will have another chance to add their names to the roll of honour and further challenge the records set by the legends before them.
