The Cheltenham Festival is one of the biggest horse racing events in the world and this year it promises to again offer high-level drama and a party atmosphere throughout.
In the preceding weeks to the 2024 festival, the main narratives will reside around the championship races’ potential winners including the headline Gold Cup.
However, another race will happen across the course of the event for the top jockey. This will be decided by who delivers the biggest and most impressive victories on the track.
Several jockeys stand out due to their past reputations and the quality of the horses that they are set to ride at Cheltenham 2024.
Paul Townend
Paul Townend is the main jockey for the horses trained by the legendary Willie Mullins. He will notably ride Galopin Des Champs who is a massive Gold Cup favourite in the Cheltenham 2024 odds offered at +100.
Townend is set to compete to win three of the four championship races overall and for that reason he is the favourite in the Cheltenham Festival top jockey betting offered at -300.
Besides Galopin Des Champs, he will ride the 2024 Irish Champion Hurdle winner State Man and El Fabiolo who have significant chances of winning the Champion Hurdle and Champion Chase respectively.
It would represent a huge shock if Townend were to walk away from Cheltenham with less than two championship race wins to his name. It will be tough to guide State Man to a victory over the powerful Constitution Hill, but he will surely lead El Fabiolo and Galopin Des Champs to expected triumphs.
Townend may have the advantage of riding some of the greatest horses in the business but nobody could take away the title of top Cheltenham 2024 jockey if he wins numerous Grade One races this year.
Jack Kennedy
Jack Kennedy will have a much tougher task than Townend when it comes to finishing first in championship races this year, however, numerous wins are certainly not out of the realm of possibility.
Kennedy will ride one of the favorites of the four main events in Teahupoo which is offered at +275 to win the Stayers’ Hurdle. However, beyond the day three event, his chances of riding to a major victory are slim.
The Irish jockey’s other highly impressive horse is Irish Point who he will ride in the Champion Hurdle, however, the competition in that event is set to be immense. Lossiemouth is fancied to have greater chances of victory as well as Constitution Hill and State Man.
Gerri Colombe will be the horse he rides in the Cheltenham Gold Cup where the chances of a triumphant display are again even slimmer. The horse was beaten by 23 lengths against Galopin Des Champs at Leopardstown in December suggesting genuine competition for the festival’s biggest race is not likely.
Ultimately it is tough to look past Townend for the title of the greatest jockey at Cheltenham this year. Kennedy will have to produce a string of upsets if he is to prevent his fellow Irishman from winning the award for the third year in a row.
