Jack Kennedy is excited about his book of rides for the 2026 Cheltenham Festival.
The 26-year-old is retained to Gordon Elliott‘s Cullentra yard and has a number of big-name rides lined up for March. He is currently on a tally of 12 Cheltenham Festival wins, with the first coming back when he was 17.
That came on Labaik in the 2017 Supreme Novices’ Hurdle. Kennedy may even have a better chance in that race this time around courtesy of El Cairos.
That horse is just one of many chances Kennedy can look forward to. All of Brighterdaysahead, Romeo Coolio and Favori De Champdou are prominent in ante-post betting markets, with Kennedy likely to be the man in the saddle for all three.
“Once you get on you just want more” – Kennedy on Cheltenham winners
It will have been nine years since Kennedy broke onto the scene at the 2017 Cheltenham Festival.
Kennedy rode the quirky Labaik to win that year’s Supreme Novices’ Hurdle. 11 subsequent victories have followed, including in the Stayers’ Hurdle and Cheltenham Gold Cup.
But Kennedy is restless for more, as he spoke to the Press Association via Racing TV.
“It’s in a different league. You grow up dreaming of riding winners there and thankfully I’ve been lucky enough to experience it a few times.
“Once you get one you just want more, it’s different to anywhere else.”
Kennedy, however, has not always been the most fortunate with injuries. He has broken his leg on six separate occasions despite his relatively tender years.
He is therefore focusing first on making it to the meeting before getting carried away.
“There’s a lot of water to go under the bridge between now and then, so hopefully we can stay in one piece.
“It’s definitely better than the way I was going in last year, so hopefully it will stay that way.”
Nevertheless, it is impossible not to be drawn into what lies ahead. On his greatest respective Cheltenham hopes for this year’s Festival, Kennedy had the following to say:
“El Cairos gives you a very good feel, he’s obviously a very fast horse, probably the fastest I’ve ridden anyway.
“Romeo Coolio gives you a lovely feel. He’s very athletic and he’s just a good horse, you kind of know by sitting on him that he’s above average. If we had a few more like him it would be great.”
And on Brighterdaysahead, who is yet to win at Cheltenham despite being a strong fancy for two years in succession, Kennedy offered smoe hope to her backers.
“She’d been very good in Leopardstown at Christmas last season and that might have just left its mark on her a little bit.
“She’s hopefully going there in good form this year.”