Historic Surge in Female Racegoers at Cheltenham Ladies Day
The Cheltenham Festival is poised to welcome more women racegoers tomorrow than on any other day in its storied history. This remarkable milestone comes as Ladies Day returns to the event for the first time in seven years, with an extraordinary surge in female fans delighting festival organisers.
Rachael Blackmore Leads the Charge
At the heart of this transformation is trailblazing jockey Rachael Blackmore, who has embraced a new challenge as the Head of Ladies Day. Blackmore, the first female to win the Grand National, retired from racing in May last year and is experiencing her first Cheltenham Festival as a spectator. Her campaign has specifically focused on introducing more women to the festival experience, yielding impressive results.
Latest figures reveal a significant increase in ticket sales to women, with 33% of purchasers for Ladies Day being female, compared to just 25% in 2025. Blackmore expressed her enthusiasm, 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."
Campaign Impact and Community Engagement
As part of her role, Blackmore engaged with female racegoers during Cheltenham’s November Meeting to understand their perspectives from the other side of the rails. She reflected on her efforts, saying, "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."
Guy Lavender, Chief Executive of Cheltenham Racecourse, praised the campaign's success, noting, "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."
Public Response and Future Outlook
The public has responded positively to these efforts. Kathleen Rigby, a 52-year-old from Nottingham, shared her excitement, "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."
This campaign celebrates the return of Ladies Day to the Cheltenham Festival for the first time since 2019. Cheltenham Racecourse hopes that this continued growth in female attendance will help ensure the festival remains one of the most inclusive and exciting events in the sporting calendar. With Blackmore's leadership and community engagement, the event is set to offer a brilliant day out for both seasoned racing enthusiasts and newcomers alike.
