Leading Cheltenham Festival rider review Once again it was Paul Townend who finished as leading rider at the 2025 Cheltenham Festival, but this time he was made to fight to fend off Mark Walsh. Indeed, with Walsh condemning Townend to second spot in the Gold Cup as Inothewayurthinkin took the title away from Galopin Des Champs, there was something for both men to savour. Danny Gilligan, Rachael Blackmore and Jonjo O'Neill Jr were the only other riders to double up across the four days in the Cotswolds. Townend wins on countback Townend started the meeting just as he'd have been dreaming, with a win on the Supreme Novices' hotpot Kopek Des Bordes. The Closutton stable jockey would go on to enjoy further successes on Lossiemouth in the Mares' Hurdle, Kargese in the County Hurdle and Jasmin De Vaux in the Albert Bartlett. Amid the victories there was no shortage of setbacks, Townend labelling it a testing week, as State Man came down with the Champion Hurdle at his mercy and the likes of Ballyburn and Final Demand failed to live up to expectations. Victory in the Gold Cup on Galopin Des Champs would certainly have cured all ails, but it wasn't to be. Still, top jockey at the Festival for the fourth year in a row and a fifth time overall, it wasn't a bad week by any standards. Walsh delivers in the green and gold The Gold Cup was the crowning moment for Walsh in the Cotswolds as he powered home on Inothewayurthinkin for the Gavin Cromwell team, securing his fourth winner of the week and his best ever Cheltenham tally. Things didn't begin in stellar fashion when Majborough failed to deliver in the Arkle, but Walsh regathered himself to win the Fred Winter on Puturhandstogether for Joseph O'Brien and his boss McManus. His tour de force on Fact To File in the Ryanair turned that Grade 1 into a procession, while he powered up the hill on Dinoblue as the gutsy mare finally got her hands on a Cotswolds success. That brought him to three, but the best was certainly still to come. Inothewayurthinkin, supplemented late into the race, was too strong for Galopin Des Champs as the latter was downed in his quest for three straight Gold Cups. For Walsh, it would be the highpoint so far in his fine career. Townend's silver medal in that race was enough to swing the top jockey award his way on countback, but Walsh will be satisfied with his lot and he could now have a major Grand National contender for Aintree if Cromwell and McManus opt to go that way next. Rachael on the mark again Rachael Blackmore lit up Festival Thursday with her double. She won the Ryanair Mares' Novices' Hurdle on Air Of Entitlement for boss Henry de Bromhead and then picked the pocket of Stayers' Hurdle favourite Teahupoo on board Bob Olinger, who continued his love affair with Cheltenham by remaining unbeaten and gaining his third Festival win for owners Robcour. It means Blackmore has completed the set of Cheltenham's crown jewels, adding the Stayers' to wins in the Champion Chase, Champion Hurdle and Gold Cup. She truly is a generational talent. Danny Gilligan got his double on Jazzy Matty and Wodhooh, the former an emotional scorer on the day everyone was thinking of Michael O'Sullivan after Marine Nationale landed the Champion Chase. Jonjo O'Neill Jr won the Plate on Jagwar and spoke so eloquently about O'Sullivan that he will have earned himself a new legion of fans, and the young rider doubled up on 100/1 chance Poniros in the Triumph Hurdle for Willie Mullins. Get €40 in FREE bets with the William Hill sign up offer:
