Cheltenham Festival 2023 is now just around the corner. As trainers put the finishing touches to preparations for their stable stars, the industry’s top jockeys are also getting in shape to accomplish the ultimate goal that every rider strives for.

The thrill of returning victorious to the winner’s enclosure is an achievement that not all jockeys will experience, but certain riders have worked out the knack of riding the undulations of the Cheltenham track and thus their rides will normally be among the favourites at horse racing betting sites.

As with all markets available on the Cheltenham Festival this year, Bookies.com will provide you with all of the best prices from the best UK betting sites and from further afield on this year’s Leading Jockey award.

Below are some of the top riders who will be in contention in 2023.

Paul Townend

Let’s start with the obvious. Paul Townend is once again the strong favourite with horse racing betting apps to win his third leading jockey title in four years. Townend’s position as number one rider for the all-conquering Willie Mullins has resulted in him recording 22 Cheltenham winners to date, including two Gold Cups, two Ryanair Chases and a Champion Chase.

Townend has another top-quality book of rides this season, with Gold Cup favourite Galopin Des Champs, Energumene, Facile Vega and Lossiemouth, all fancied to contribute to what promises to be another successful week for the 32-year-old Irishman.

If you are not sure which horses Paul Townend will ride in the big races, you can always check out our dedicated page to the leading jockey to get all of the information.

Nico de Boinville

Leading British rider, Nico de Boinville, is Nicky Henderson’s number-one jockey, and he has been associated with some of the greatest equine talents ever to grace the Cheltenham Festival, and in 2023 he has another strong book of rides to go to war with.

Constitution Hill is obviously De Boinville’s big hope of a festival win and is the overwhelming favourite in the Champion Hurdle, and with him also going getting the leg up on the likes of Shishkin and Jonbon, it is not beyond the realms of possibility that he can outgun Paul Townend to record his second leading jockey award and will be a dark-horse option on some betting sites.

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Davy Russell

It has been quite the journey for veteran jockey, Davy Russell, to line up at Cheltenham 2023. The legendary rider made a quick U-turn on his decision to retire earlier in the season, with trainer Gordon Elliott persuading his friend to replace the injured Jack Kennedy on his horses for the festival.

Russell can now look forward to steering the likes of Mighty Potter, Teahupoo, Gerri Colombe and Conflated, around the track at Prestbury Park. The three will likely be heavily backed on betting apps around the world as Russell looks to add to his current total of 22 festival wins.

Rachael Blackmore

Rachael Blackmore is not only one of the best jockeys in jump racing, but she is also a familiar face in the sporting world in general. The leading woman rider has been breaking records wherever she has gone in recent years and can name a Gold Cup and Champion Hurdle among her list of 12 festival winners thus far.

In 2021, Blackmore became the first woman to be crowned leading rider at the festival with six wins, and although she might not have the same quality of rides this season, she can still rely on her old allies, Honeysuckle and A Plus Tard, to get her on the board.

Rachael Blackmore’s full book of rides at this year’s Cheltenham Festival is yet to be confirmed, so our dedicated page to the Grand National winning jockey is a must-visit. We have a full, updated list of her confirmed future rides and all of the latest prices on her booked rides from the leading betting sites and Bookmakers.