Leading Jockeys at The Festival @CheltenhamRacecourse

Ruby Walsh made history in 2010 when becoming the most successful jockey ever at The Festival, surpassing the record of 25 winners held by the late Pat Taaffe. He currently stands on 38 Festival victories, having taken the Thomas Pink Leading Rider Award for a seventh time in 2013 with four victories. The 18-time champion jockey A P McCoy is now up to 29 successes (with two wins in 2013), closely followed by Barry Geraghty on 28 (three wins in 2013).

Previous winners of the Thomas Pink Leading Rider Award are listed below, with current jockeys in bold.

2013	Ruby Walsh (4)	1996	Richard Dunwoody (2)
2012	Barry Geraghty (5)	1995	Norman Williamson (4)
2011	Ruby Walsh (5)	1994	Charlie Swan (3)
2010	Ruby Walsh (3)	1993	Charlie Swan (4)
2009	Ruby Walsh (7)	1992	Jamie Osborne (5)
2008	Ruby Walsh (3)	1991	Peter Scudamore (2)
2007	Robert Thornton (4)	1990	Richard Dunwoody (2)
2006	Ruby Walsh (3)	1989	Tom Morgan (2)
2005	Graham Lee (3)	1988	Simon Sherwood (2)
2004	Ruby Walsh (3)	1987	Peter Scudamore (2)
2003	Barry Geraghty (5)	1986	Peter Scudamore (2)
2002	Richard Johnson (2)	1985	Steve Smith Eccles (3)
2001	Cancelled - Foot & Mouth	1984	Jonjo O'Neill (2)
2000	Mick Fitzgerald (4)	1983	Graham Bradley (2)
1999	Mick Fitzgerald (4)	1982	Jonjo O'Neill (1)
1998	A P McCoy (5)	1981	John Francome (3)
1997	A P McCoy (3)	1980	Mr Jim Wilson (3)

Leading Current Jockeys at The Festival			Top Jockeys at The Festival (since 1945, current jockeys in bold)
Ruby Walsh	38		Ruby Walsh	38
A P McCoy	29		A P McCoy	29
Barry Geraghty	28		Barry Geraghty	28
Richard Johnson	18		Pat Taaffe	25
Robert Thornton	16		Richard Dunwoody	18
Paul Carberry	13		Richard Johnson	18
Davy Russell	10		Charlie Swan	17
Timmy Murphy	8		Fred Winter	17
Paddy Brennan	6		Tommy Carberry	16
Graham Lee	5		Robert Thornton	16
Jason Maguire	5		Mick Fitzgerald	14
Ms Nina Carberry	4		Paul Carberry	13
Andrew Lynch	4		Peter Scudamore	13
Joe Tizzard	4
Mr Sam Waley-Cohen	4

Festival success caps pivotal season for Treadwell

Carrickboy's front-running victory in last year's Byrne Group Plate provided jockey Liam Treadwell with a first Cheltenham Festival success and crowned a comeback season for the Sussex-born rider.

Despite a starting price of 50/1, Treadwell was not winning out of turn at Jump racing's premier event, having been narrowly denied a maiden victory in the same contest in 2009, when 13/2 favourite Ping Pong Sivola was worn down by 33/1 outsider Something Wells.

The 28-year-old also partnered Tullamore Dew to finish second in the 2010 Coral Cup and third in the following year's Rewards4Racing Novices' Handicap Chase, while Dee Ee Williams found only Thousand Stars and Arcalis too strong in the 2010 Vincent O'Brien County Handicap Hurdle.

"I had a fantastic ride off Carrickboy and it was a very special day," recalled Treadwell. "I had placed there in years gone by on the likes of Ping Pong Sivola and Tullamore Dew, so I had got a slight taste of it, but there is no better feeling than coming up that hill in front and walking down the chute in front of the grandstand.

"I've always wanted to ride a winner at The Festival. The whole season revolves around it and it is a dream come true for any jockey, trainer or owner to have a winner there."

Carrickboy was unconsidered by most punters after being pulled up on his final start before The Festival at Wincanton, but had previously scored by five lengths at Chepstow under Treadwell just after the turn of the year.

"You just never know in those big handicaps at The Festival and you see a big-priced winners year in, year out," commented Treadwell. "I had only ridden him once before when I won a competitive race at Chepstow and I knew he was a sound jumper. I don't know if it was the atmosphere as much as anything else at Cheltenham, but the horse was just alive underneath me and jumped brilliantly.

"He wasn't forced in front and was always in his comfort zone. When I pushed some buttons turning into the straight, he found more which was surprising because it's a massive ask to make all in a handicap at Cheltenham. He's hard to catch right, but it just goes to show that when he's on song, he's a very good horse."

Treadwell sprung to prominence in April, 2009, when steering 100/1 outsider Mon Mome to victory in the Grand National, but, following a multiple break of his collarbone in November 2009, he was unable to capitalise on that famous success.

Opportunities dried up and the 2011/12 season only yielded nine winners, but Treadwell revived his partnership with Venetia Williams, trainer of Mon Mome and Carrickboy, in the autumn of 2012 and has not looked back.

"Winning at Cheltenham definitely capped a comeback season for me," revealed Treadwell. "For a few different reasons I had had my ups and downs and things had not gone great, but I got the association back with Venetia (Williams) and, not only was it great to be riding winners, but great to be back in the big time.

"Things are going great guns so far this season. I have already reached my best tally of winners, so I'll keep working hard and hopefully it will continue."

Treadwell already has some good rides to look forward to at this year's Festival, headed by the James Evans-trained pair of Trackmate and Softsong. Trackmate captured a Pertemps Final qualifier at Cheltenham in October, while Softsong blitzed his rivals in a maiden hurdle at Doncaster in early January.

"The question with Trackmate is whether or not he is well enough handicapped after winning competitive handicaps at Aintree and Cheltenham in good style," said Treadwell. "He is going straight there, so he will be fresh and well, and is definitely one to look forward to. Softsong is another one and he won really well at Doncaster on his first start for James Evans. I'm not sure what race he goes for at Cheltenham, but I would look forward to riding him."