Cheltenham Festival: Rachael Blackmore hired as Head of Ladies Day to ‘encourage more women to come racing’
Cheltenham has hired former Gold Cup winner and trailblazing jockey Rachael Blackmore in a move designed to “encourage more women to come racing”.
Blackmore, who retired from the saddle in May this year, made history as the first woman to win the Gold Cup, the Champion Hurdle and be crowned leading rider at the Festival.
She will now be back at the famous meeting in March in a new ambassadorial role as the Head of Ladies Day.
In a statement on Monday, The Jockey Club revealed their data shows that on average, only a quarter of visitors at Cheltenham Racecourse during the season are women, with further research revealing many women feel the sport is ‘not for them’.
Blackmore, who lifted the Gold Cup with A Plus Tard in 2022, said: “It is going to be a very different experience going racing and not heading for the weighing room, but I’m looking forward to seeing what racedays are like from the other side of the rails and working with the team at Cheltenham.
Rachael Blackmore enters the winners’ enclosure aboard A Plus Tard after winning the 2022 Gold Cup
“I’m interested in meeting racegoers to get a proper understanding of why they attend but also what some of the blockers and barriers might be that are stopping their friends and peers from coming.
“Horse racing is an amazing sport and a day at the races provides so much opportunity for people to socialise with friends and meet new people.
“I’m excited to get involved and see what can be done to engage more women and show them what makes a day at the races such a special and unforgettable experience.”
Cheltenham’s chief executive Guy Lavender said: “Rachael is a household name whose success and passion for horse racing resonates not only with racing fans and aficionados but general sports fans and even wider audiences.
Blackmore – winner of the 2021 Grand National aboard Minella Times
“We’ve been evaluating customer data and feedback and what really stood out was the opportunity to grow our female fanbase. From there we’ve been developing a campaign aimed at encouraging more women to attend racedays and Rachael is exactly the kind of aspirational figure we hope will attract a new fan base to the sport.
“Rachael’s groundbreaking success on the track, combined with her growing status as a role model beyond the sport and popularity with people of all ages, make her the ideal ambassador to connect the Cheltenham Festival with a new, female-focused audience.
“Her achievements transcended racing and resulted in headlines around the world and awards like the BBC World Sports Star at the prestigious Sports Personality of the Year Awards in 2021.
“We’re excited to be working with her to identify what initiatives and incentives would encourage more women to come racing and to promote the sport, Cheltenham Racecourse and The Festival specifically, as being for everyone.”
