Top Jockeys Past and Present

Ruby WalshBelow are a few names who's horsemanship has contributed massively to the success stories of the race. They are drawn from jockeys past and present.

  • Ruby Walsh - The winning jockey on Master Minded for the last two years, Ruby Walsh will be looking to repeat the feat in 2010 and is very likley to do so. When interviewed after the race last year, Walsh, who was clearly awestruck, by the manner of Master Minded's 19 length victory, over 2007 winner, Voy Por Ustedes, could only say "brilliant",..."brilliant".."brilliant" and "brilliant". Walsh who merely had to steer the horse to victory has now won the race twice and has every chance of completing the hat trick this year.
     
  • Pat Taafe - One of the great horsemen of all time, Taafe will always be remembered for his partnership with the great Arkle, who won the Cheltenham Gold Cup three times. But Pat, has also won the Queen Mother Champion Chase, five times between 1960 and 1870. He won all these races for trainer, Tom Dreaper. His most notable win probably came on Flyingbolt, who was the shortest priced favourite, ever to have won the race at 1/5 odds on.
     
  • Tommy Carmody - This Irish horseman, is not such an obvious choice of top Queen Mother Chase jockeys, but he is the only one to have won the race three times with three different horses and for three different trainers. His wins came over a period of thirteen years and started with Inkslinger in 1973, for trainer, Dan Moore, he then won it again in 1978 with Hilly Way for trainer, Peter McCreery and completed his hat trick in 1986 with a win on Buck House for trainer, Mouse Morris.
     
  • Barry Geraghty - He is always one of the most prominent jockeys at Cheltenham and has won this race twice on Moscow Flyer in 2003 and 2005. It seemed certain that he would complete a hat trick on the great horse but it was not to be, but Barry will be back again this year and will be a man to watch closely, especially if taking a Queen Mother Champion Chase Free bet offers.
     
  • 'Chocolate' Thornton - One of Englands top jockeys and winner of the top jockey award at last year's Cheltenham Festival. Chocolate won the race on Voy Por Ustedes for his trainer, Alan King in 2007 and was a distant runner up to the this years favourite, Master Minded in last years race. No doubt he will be hoping to be able to reverse that form this year.