Rachael Blackmore

The daughter of a teacher and a farmer, Blackmore grew up on a dairy farm in Killenaule, County Tipperary, Ireland, and started riding at an early age, taking part in pony club meetings, hunting and pony racing.[2] She gained a degree in equine science at the University of Limerick, while riding out and competing as an amateur jockey.[3]

Blackmore rode her first winner as an amateur jockey on 10 February 2011, when Stowaway Pearl, trained by Shark Hanlon, won the Tipperary Ladies’ Handicap Hurdle at Thurles.[4][2] She turned professional in March 2015, having ridden eleven point-to-point winners and seven winners as an amateur rider. Her first winner as a professional was Most Honourable, trained by Hanlon, at Clonmel on 3 September 2015.[4] In 2017, she became the first woman to win the conditional riders' championship in Ireland.[2]

In 2018 Blackmore had her first ride in the Grand National. Her mount, Alpha des Obeaux, trained by Mouse Morris, went off at 33/1 and fell at the fifteenth fence, the Chair.[5]

Her first Cheltenham Festival winner came in 2019 when A Plus Tard landed the Chase Brothers Novices' Handicap Chase. She then gained her first Grade 1 victory when Minella Indo won the Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle. Both winners were trained by Henry de Bromhead for whom Blackmore was by now riding as stable jockey. In the 2019 Grand National Blackmore finished in tenth place on the de Bromhead-trained 66/1 chance Valseur Lido.[6]

Blackmore's first Grade 1 race victory in Ireland came in April 2019 when Honeysuckle won the Mares Novice Hurdle Championship Final at Fairyhouse. Blackmore finished the season with 90 winners and took the runner-up spot in the Irish jump racing Champion Jockey competition behind Paul Townend. Honeysuckle provided Blackmore with another Cheltenham Festival win in the Close Brothers Mares' Hurdle in 2020. Blackmore finished third in the Irish jump racing championship in the curtailed 2019–20 season.[4]

In 2021, she achieved two notable "firsts" at the Cheltenham Festival, becoming the first female jockey to partner a winner of the Champion Hurdle and, by finishing with six winners across the four days, she also became the first female jockey to win the Ruby Walsh Trophy for leading Cheltenham jockey.[7][8]

On 10 April Blackmore rode Minella Times to victory in the 2021 Grand National, becoming the first female jockey to win the race. Minella Times, trained by de Bromhead, went off as fourth favourite at 11/1 and, having given Blackmore a "sensational spin", passed the post 6½ lengths in front of stablemate and runner-up Balko Des Flos.[9] Due to Covid-19 protocols, there were no spectators on the course to witness Blackmore's historic victory. Interviewed by ITV after the race, she said: "I don't feel male or female right now. I don't even feel human.... It's unbelievable".[9]

Blackmore's boyfriend is jockey Brian Hayes.[3] Her parents are Charles and Eimir Blackmore.[2]

• Baring Bingham Novices' Hurdle – (1) – Bob Olinger (2021)[10]
• Champion Bumper – (1) – Sir Gerhard (2021)[11]
• Champion Hurdle – (1) – Honeysuckle (2021)[12]
• Centenary Novices' Handicap Chase – (1) – A Plus Tard (2019)[12]
• David Nicholson Mares' Hurdle – (1) – Honeysuckle (2020)[12]
• Dawn Run Mares' Novices' Hurdle – (1) – Telmesomethinggirl (2021)[12]
• Ryanair Chase – (1) – Allaho (2021)[13]
• Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle – (1) Minella Indo (2019)[12]
• Triumph Hurdle – (1) – Quilixios (2021)[12]

Ireland[14]

• Arkle Novice Chase – (1) Notebook (2020)
• Hatton's Grace Hurdle – (3) Honeysuckle (2019, 2020, 2021)
• Irish Champion Hurdle – (2) Honeysuckle (2020, 2021)
• Irish Daily Mirror Novice Hurdle – (1) Minella Indo (2019)
• Mares Novice Hurdle Championship Final – (1) Honeysuckle (2019)
• Paddy's Reward Club Chase – (1) A Plus Tard (2019)
• Punchestown Champion Hurdle - (1) Honeysuckle (2021)
• Racing Post Novice Chase – (1) Notebook (2019)
• Slaney Novice Hurdle – (1) Bob Olinger (2021)

Great Britain

• Betfair Chase - (1) - A Plus Tard (2021)