Tomorrow at Cheltenham Racecourse will see a historic high in the number of female racegoers, as the first woman to win the Grand National takes on a new challenge.
The Festival organizers are thrilled with the remarkable increase in female attendees. Ladies Day is making a comeback after a seven-year hiatus, with a notable uptick in ticket sales to women. Statistics reveal that 33% of ticket buyers for Ladies Day are women, a significant rise from 25% in 2025.
This surge in female participation underscores the impact of a targeted campaign aimed at introducing more women to the Festival experience, spearheaded by pioneering jockey Rachael Blackmore.
In her capacity as “Head of Ladies Day,” Blackmore engaged with female racegoers during Cheltenham’s November Meeting to gain insights into their perspective beyond the racetrack. Having retired from competitive riding in May last year, this year’s Cheltenham Festival marks her debut as a spectator.
Blackmore expressed her delight at the increase in female attendance, stating, “To see numbers go from 25% to 33% is fantastic, and hopefully it’s something that will continue to grow. It’s great to see more women deciding to come along to Ladies Day this year.”
Reflecting on her new role, Blackmore added, “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.”
One enthusiastic attendee, Kathleen Rigby, 52, from Nottingham, shared her excitement, saying, “This is brilliant news. I’m coming tomorrow, and it will be great to have so many other women here. I go racing quite a lot, and there are definitely more female fans around these days.”
Guy Lavender, the Chief Executive of Cheltenham Racecourse, emphasized the aim of making Ladies Day inclusive and engaging for all. He commended the positive response to the campaign, noting the increase in female ticket purchasers from 25% last year to 33% this year.
Lavender praised Rachael Blackmore’s involvement, stating, “Having Rachael at the heart of it has been fantastic. Her willingness to engage with the community, interact with people, and promote The Festival has helped introduce the Cheltenham experience to new audiences.”
The campaign marks the return of Ladies Day to the Cheltenham Festival after a two-year hiatus. Cheltenham Racecourse anticipates that the growing number of female racegoers will contribute to maintaining The Festival’s status as one of the most inclusive and thrilling sporting events on the calendar.
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