The Jockey Club today announces that Cheltenham Racecourse has seen a significant increase in female racegoers attending the second day of The Festival in 2026, following a campaign led by trailblazing jockey Rachael Blackmore to promote the return of Ladies Day.

New figures show that 33% of ticket purchasers for Ladies Day at The Festival are female, compared with 25% in 2025, highlighting the impact of a campaign focused specifically on introducing more women to the Cheltenham Festival experience.

Cheltenham Racecourse appointed Randox Grand National and Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup winning jockey Rachael Blackmore as Head of Ladies Day in November 2025. The ambassadorial role was created to help encourage more women to attend the Cheltenham Festival and showcase everything a day at the races has to offer.

As part of the campaign, Rachael took Ladies Day beyond the racecourse and into local communities, meeting members of the public at shopping centres in Oxford, Birmingham and Cardiff, where she spoke about The Festival to regular racegoers and newcomers alike, posed for photographs and encouraged more women to experience the magic of Cheltenham.

At The Festival itself, the campaign has also brought new experiences for racegoers attending Ladies Day. Tomorrow (Wednesday 11th March) racegoers will see:

· The Centaur has been transformed into a dedicated Ladies Day zone with entertainment, live music and a special racing panel designed to help demystify the sport.

· A Q&A hosted by Rosie Tapner, with Rachael Blackmore, ITV Racing’s Alice Plunkett and Rugby World Cup-winning Red Rose Natasha ‘Mo’ Hunt sharing insights into their sporting experiences, racing and previewing the afternoon’s action.

· A showcase of fashion by Official Jockey Club partners, Holland Cooper and Debenhams, and the much-loved annual Style Awards, with more than £10,000 of prizes on offer.

Guy Lavender, Chief Executive of Cheltenham Racecourse, said: “We wanted to make Ladies Day an occasion that felt welcoming and exciting for everyone, and the response we’ve seen has been incredibly encouraging. To see female ticket purchasers increase from 25% last year to 33% this year shows that the campaign is already making a real difference.

“Having Rachael at the heart of it has been fantastic. Her willingness to get out into the community, meet people and talk about The Festival has helped bring the Cheltenham experience to new audiences.”

As part of her role as Head of Ladies Day, Blackmore spent time with other female racegoers at Cheltenham’s November Meeting to find out what the experience is like on the other side of the rails.

Blackmore, 36, retired from the saddle in May last year and this will be her first Cheltenham Festival as a spectator. She said: “It’s been really enjoyable meeting so many people and talking about what makes the Cheltenham Festival so special.

“The build up to this year’s event has been very different for me but I have loved the new challenge that this role has given me. Cheltenham has been a huge part of my life, some of my best memories are here and I am proud to have been able to work with the racecourse to share that magic with the public.

“Whether someone follows racing closely or has never been before, it’s such a brilliant day out and I believe it has so much to offer to everyone. It’s great to see more women deciding to come along to Ladies Day this year. To see numbers go from 25% to 33% is fantastic and hopefully it’s something that will continue to grow.”

The campaign celebrated the return of Ladies Day to the Cheltenham Festival for the first time since 2019. Cheltenham Racecourse hopes the continued growth in female racegoers will help ensure The Festival remains one of the most inclusive and exciting events in the sporting calendar.