Rachael Blackmore has achieved another significant victory at Cheltenham, this time off the track, by playing a pivotal role in increasing female attendance at the prestigious Cheltenham Festival. The pioneering former jockey, who retired from competitive riding last year, has embraced an ambassadorial position that is already yielding impressive results.
Trailblazing Jockey Takes on New Challenge
Following her retirement from the saddle in May 2025, Blackmore transitioned to a new role as Head of Ladies Day at Cheltenham Racecourse, a position created specifically to encourage more women to experience the excitement of the Festival. The 36-year-old racing legend, who made history as the first female jockey to win the Grand National and accumulated 18 Festival victories during her career, has brought her considerable influence to this community-focused initiative.
Community Engagement Drives Results
Blackmore embarked on an extensive outreach campaign, visiting local communities and engaging with the public at shopping centres in Oxford, Birmingham, and Cardiff. She spoke enthusiastically about the Festival to both seasoned racegoers and complete newcomers, posed for photographs, and personally encouraged women to discover the unique atmosphere of the event. Her efforts have been particularly focused on celebrating the return of Ladies Day to the Cheltenham Festival for the first time since 2019.
The campaign has produced measurable success, with new figures from the Jockey Club revealing that female ticket purchasers for Ladies Day on Wednesday increased to 33 percent this year, compared to just 25 percent in 2025. This represents a substantial eight percentage point increase in female participation, demonstrating the effectiveness of Blackmore's community engagement strategy.
Racecourse Leadership Celebrates Progress
Guy Lavender, chief executive of Cheltenham Racecourse, expressed his satisfaction with the campaign's impact. "We wanted to make Ladies Day an occasion that felt welcoming and exciting for everyone, and the response we've seen has been incredibly encouraging," he stated. "To see female ticket purchasers increase from 25% last year to 33% this year shows that the campaign is already making a real difference."
Lavender specifically highlighted Blackmore's contribution to the initiative's success. "Having Rachael at the heart of it has been fantastic. Her willingness to get out into the community, meet people and talk about The Festival has helped bring the Cheltenham experience to new audiences."
Blackmore's Personal Perspective
For Blackmore, this year's Cheltenham Festival marks her first attendance as a spectator rather than a competitor, providing a completely different perspective on the event that has been central to her career. "It's been really enjoyable meeting so many people and talking about what makes the Cheltenham Festival so special," she reflected. "The build up to this year's event has been very different for me but I have loved the new challenge that this role has given me."
The former jockey, who won the Cheltenham Gold Cup on A Plus Tard in 2022 and is now a racing hall of famer, emphasized the personal significance of her work. "Cheltenham has been a huge part of my life, some of my best memories are here and I am proud to have been able to work with the racecourse to share that magic with the public."
Blackmore also highlighted the universal appeal of the Festival experience. "Whether someone follows racing closely or has never been before, it's such a brilliant day out and I believe it has so much to offer to everyone. It's great to see more women deciding to come along to Ladies Day this year. To see numbers go from 25% to 33% is fantastic and hopefully it's something that will continue to grow."
The success of this initiative represents a significant milestone in making horse racing more accessible and appealing to diverse audiences, with Blackmore's star power and genuine enthusiasm proving to be valuable assets in breaking down barriers and introducing new spectators to the sport.
