2020 Cheltenham Festival tips – Rachael Blackmore’s rides

Rachael Blackmore lifts the Irish Champion Hurdle trophy.

We take a look at Rachael Blackmore’s rides at the 2020 Cheltenham Festival and figure out which have the best chance of winning when the meeting begins on Tuesday 10th March.

The day after Bryony Frost became the first female jockey to ride a winner at the 2019 Cheltenham Festival, Rachael Blackmore followed suit, guiding 50/1 outsider Minella Indo to victory in the Albert Bartlett.

Over the past two years, Blackmore has established herself as one of the top jockeys in Ireland. Her partnership with Henry De Bromhead has become one of the most feared in the sport and, this season, Blackmore has also picked up plenty of rides for Ireland’s Champion Trainer, Willie Mullins.

Let’s take a look at Rachael Blackmore’s rides at the upcoming Cheltenham Festival, as she bids to build on last year’s double success.

Rachael Blackmore’s rides at the 2020 Cheltenham Festival

NOTEBOOK

Rachael Blackmore has forged a fantastic partnership with Notebook (3/1 Ladbrokes) this season, guiding her mount to two high-profile Grade One successes. Last time out at the Dublin Racing Festival, Notebook battled bravely to get the better of Cash Back and retain his unbeaten record over fences. Notebook will carry the tag of favouritism into the Arkle, and he’s sure to feature amongst many expert’s 2020 Cheltenham Festival tips.

HONEYSUCKLE

The shortest-priced of all Blackmore’s prospective rides, Honeysuckle (15/8 William Hill) looks set to battle it out with Benie Des Dieux in the Mares’ Hurdle. It looked like a tilt at the Champion Hurdle was on the cards, after De Bromhead’s mare scored a hard-fought victory in the Irish equivalent at Leopardstown. Yet, it seems connections have decided to target the Mares’, and Honeysuckle’s clash with Benie Des Dieux is a mouth-watering prospect.

MINELLA INDO

Blackmore will renew her partnership with Minella Indo (5/1 Coral) in the RSA, 12 months after their famous triumph in the Albert Bartlett. Although he hasn’t been that impressive on his two starts over fences, only Champ sits higher in the RSA betting than Minella Indo. I think he’s going to be very difficult to beat on his return to Prestbury Park.

A PLUS TARD

Another name you’ll see crop up in many 2020 Cheltenham Festival tips articles between now and the Festival. Blackmore rode A Plus Tard (11/4 Ladbrokes) to a sparkling victory in the Close Brothers at last year’s Festival, and she’s guided De Bromhead’s star to a Grade One success already this term. The Ryanair looks to be A Plus Tard’s Cheltenham objective and he’s sure to give favourite Min a real run for his money.

MINELLA MELODY

Having impressed in bumpers last term, Minella Melody (3/1 William Hill) has taken to jumping like a duck to water. Rachael Blackmore has been in the saddle for all three of her successes, including an impressive Grade Three triumph over two of Willie Mullins’ most talented young mares. The Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle now beckons for Minella Melody and Blackmore will fancy her chances of another Cheltenham triumph.

ASPIRE TOWER

Despite a fall on his most recent run at Leopardstown, Aspire Tower (6/1 Coral) remains one of the market leaders for the 2020 Triumph Hurdle. Prior to that tumble, De Bromhead’s four-year-old routed the competition in two juvenile contests and was going well at the time of that fall in the Spring Juvenile. Both horse and jockey came out of the incident unscathed and Blackmore will be itching for a slice of redemption when she rides Aspire Tower out on day four of Cheltenham Festival.