Rachael Blackmore made history earlier this year when she became the first female jockey in history to win the Grand National as she rode Minella Times to victory at Aintree back in April.
Prior to that, the 31-year-old became the first female jockey to win the Champion Hurdle and, by finishing with six winners over the course of the four-day event, Blackmore also became the first female jockey to win the Ruby Walsh Trophy for leading Cheltenham jockey.
Expect her to receive lots of hype heading into next year’s Cheltenham and Aintree events. Which horses she will be riding at those events are anyone’s guess this early.
Rachael Blackmore returned home to Ireland shortly after the 2021 Grand National to compete at the Fairyhouse event three days’ later. She won with Sompteux in her final race that day.
Limerick, Ballinrobe and Tramore concluded the week as the County Tipperary wouldn’t return to England until the end of April. She has split her time between the two countries since, with a handful of winners.
The highlight came this past Friday in Tramore when Rachael Blackmore registered a fine 40/1 treble, with two of her winners, Centurion Steel and Miss Tempo, provided by the local stable of Henry de Bromhead.
The treble started with Downthecellar in the opening Tramore Tourism Handicap Chase. The win brought her tally to 12 for the new season.
Rachael Blackmore has become a hero to young girls up and down the country, hoping to get into sports. The Grand National winner confirmed last month that there is equal pay for both genders in the sport, telling the Irish Examiner:
“We saw it with the 20/20 campaign their slogan ‘can’t see it, can’t be it’. It is extremely important. We are very lucky in racing, there’s equal pay, equal opportunities. You know it’s something that racing should be so proud of. As a jockey I feel male, female doesn’t matter anymore. If you’re good enough and you work hard, you’ll get the opportunities. That’s been the case for a long time before me in racing. It is something that the racing community should be very proud of.”
It hasn’t all been plain sailing for the history maker though, as Rachael Blackmore only narrowly avoided serious injury at the start of June.
In an incident at Punchestown that saw two jockeys hospitalised with facial injuries in a five-horse fall that Blackmore was involved in. She was riding 6/4 favourite Mind Your Money that was involved in the incident that took place at the first hurdle.
Although Blackmore stood down for the remainder of the races that day, she escaped unhurt and continued competing later in the week.
Rachael Blackmore will now be looking to continue her excellent start to 2021 with upcoming events at Royal Ascot, Newmarket and Glorious Goodwood between now and the end of July.
