Legendary jockey Rachael Blackmore has picked out four horses she believes will triumph at this year’s Cheltenham Festival. Putting together the now-retired rider’s picks could deliver an impressive 70-1 accumulator. With 18 Festival victories under her belt, the groundbreaking Blackmore hung up her saddle in May last year, aged 35. Her finest moment at Prestbury Park arrived in 2021 when six winners secured her leading jockey honours.

Whilst she won’t be in the saddle during the week, Blackmore remains closely connected to the meeting. She’s been named Head of Ladies Day for the 2026 Festival as part of efforts to increase female attendance. Blackmore has also identified several strong contenders running in some of the more prestigious contests, with four horses especially catching her attention for her Festival accumulator.

Betfair Ambassador Blackmore told Mirror Racing: “On Wednesday, although it’s boring enough, I’ll go with Majborough in the Champion Chase.

“On Thursday I’d have whichever of Willie [Mullins’] goes to the Ryanair (Fact To File). I’d also then have to have Bob Olinger for the Stayers’ Hurdle.

“Then finally I’ll have to go with The New Lion in the Champion Hurdle, I suppose. I mean, if I could ride some of those horses at Cheltenham in the week…”

Priced up with Betfair at the time of writing, Majborough is odds-on at 4-5, with another JP McManus-owned runner, Fact To File, a very short 1-2.

Bob Olinger, who represents three of Blackmore’s Festival victories, is currently 6-1 for the Stayers’ with The New Lion 11-4 for the Champion Hurdle, forming a 70-1 accumulator.

Blackmore also has a 20-1 each-way selection for Friday’s feature, the Gold Cup. Discussing a horse she partnered to Festival glory in the 2023 Ryanair Chase, Envoi Allen, she said: “It is an open Gold Cup.

“I think the Henry de Bromhead factor applies here. Can I see Envoi Allen winning? He’s going to need a lot to kind of go wrong, not a lot, but he’s going to need things to go wrong for others. Or does he?

“I can see him being a massive each-way bet. He’s a fantastic each-way bet. I was only just chatting to Henry’s head lad and he said he’s in fantastic form at home and he’s another horse that just peaks for Cheltenham. You could do a lot worse.”