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Cheltenham Festival Jockeys
As may be expected, Tony McCoy is the most successful current jockey at the Festival. Since partnering Kibreet to success in the 1996 Grand Annual Chase, the record-breaking rider has gone on to land a further 18 successes, with two of his greatest triumphs coming in 1997 through a rare big-race double aboard Mr Mulligan in the Cheltenham Gold Cup and Make A Stand in the Champion Hurdle two days earlier.
The 2006 Festival saw McCoy ride three winners, including Brave Inca in the Champion Hurdle and last year he partnered Wichita Lineman to win the Brit Insurance Novices Hurdle. He was also leading rider in both 1997 and 1998 and has ridden a winner at every subsequent Festival except in 2005, when he surprisingly drew a blank.
McCoy is closely pursued by Ruby Walsh, the leading rider at both the 2004 and 2006 Festivals, who also notched up 3 more wins in 2007 and Mick Fitzgerald - leading rider in both 1999 and 2000. Richard Johnson, who has 13 successes to his name and 2003 leading rider Barry Geraghty with 11 victories follow on behind.
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THE MOST SUCCESSFUL CURRENT JOCKEYS AT THE CHELTENHAM FESTIVAL
| Winners | Jockey |
|---|---|
| 19 | Tony McCoy |
| 14 | Ruby Walsh |
| 14 | Mick FitzGerald |
| 13 | Richard Johnson |
| 12 | Barry Geraghty |
| 12 | Robert Thornton |
| 11 | Paul Carberry |
| 7 | Carl Llewellyn |
| 6 | Timmy Murphy |
| 4 | Conor O’Dwyer |
| 4 | Graham Lee |
| 3 | Tony Dobbin |
| 3 | Andrew Thornton |
There is a prestigious award for the most successful jockey at each Festival and the very competitive nature of the races is demonstrated by the fact that the Racing Post Leading Rider Award has been won by five different jockeys at the past six Festivals.
After Robert Thornton had secured the award last year, Andy Clifton, Communications Manager at Cheltenham, said: "The Racing Post Leading Rider Award provides an added element of competition at The Festival in addition to the 24 top-class races. A P McCoy, Ruby Walsh, Richard Johnson, Barry Geraghty, Mick FitzGerald and Graham Lee have all won the award in the last decade, and both they and a few of their weighing room colleagues will be eager to get their hands on the trophy in 2008."
The previous winners of the Racing Post Leading Rider Award are listed below:
| Year | Jockey | Winners |
|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Robert Thornton | 4 |
| 2006 | Ruby Walsh | 3 |
| 2005 | Graham Lee | 3 |
| 2004 | Ruby Walsh | 3 |
| 2003 | Barry Geraghty | 5 |
| 2002 | Richard Johnson | 2 |
| 2000 | Mick FitzGerald | 4 |
| 1999 | Mick FitzGerald | 4 |
| 1998 | Tony McCoy | 5 |
| 1997 | Tony McCoy | 3 |
| 1996 | Richard Dunwoody | 2 |
| 1995 | Norman Williamson | 4 |
| 1994 | Charlie Swan | 3 |
| 1993 | Charlie Swan | 4 |
| 1992 | Jamie Osborne | 5 |
| 1991 | Peter Scudamore | 2 |
| 1990 | Richard Dunwoody | 2 |
| 1989 | Tom Morgan | 2 |
| 1988 | Simon Sherwood | 2 |
| 1987 | Peter Scudamore | 2 |
| 1986 | Peter Scudamore | 2 |
| 1985 | Steve Smith Eccles | 3 |
| 1984 | Jonjo O'Neill | 2 |
| 1983 | Graham Bradley | 3 |
| 1982 | Jonjo O'Neill | 1 |
| 1981 | John Francome | 3 |
| 1980 | Jim Wilson | 3 |
Mick FitzGerald - Leading Rider at the Festival in both 1999 and 2000