Irish jockey Rachael Blackmore rewrites history at Aintree Grand National
Jockey Rachael Blackmore just after she became the first woman to win the Aintree Grand National
QUEEN of Cheltenham and now Empress of Aintree, Irish jockey Rachael Blackmore has broken through one of the greatest gender barriers in sports in crowning a season of firsts with the Randox Aintree Grand National.
The 31-year-old jump jockey from Tipperary Ireland rewrote the history books yet again when she became the first female jockey to win the Grand National on Minella Times, giving owner JP McManus a second win in racing’s greatest steeplechase. She is only the 20th female jockey to compete since racing at Aintree began in 1839, replacing the 2012 third place finisher, Kildare Ireland jockey Katie Walsh on Seabass to top the leaderboard.
Rachael Blackmore
His Royal Highness the Prince, Duke of Edinburgh was remembered with two minutes of silence while flags at Aintree flew at half-mast on 10 April, Grand National Day at the three-day festival.
Blackmore, who began racing as a professional in 2015, rides in at the pinnacle of the National Hunt season just 10 winners behind Irish jockey Paul Townend’s 85 in the Irish Champion Jockey title race.
Rachael Blackmore (right) on course to be the first woman to win the Aintree Grand National
“It’s unbelievable, it’s just incredible,” said Rachael Blackmore on winning the Grand National at Aintree. “I just got such an unbelievable passage through the race. Minella Times just jumped fantastic and brought me from fence to fence.”
The Aintree Grand National three-day festival was cancelled last year because of the Covid-19 pandemic. Up to six owners per horse were permitted to attend the racecourse for the 2021 spectacle, away from jockeys, trainers and essential raceday staff and officials.
Irish racehorse trainer Henry de Bromhead. Image credit: Leopardstown Racecourse
Millions more tuned in from around the world to see the Randox Grand National won by Blackmore on a horse trained by the Waterford Ireland-based Henry de Bromhead.
“It is amazing, it really is the stuff you dream about, incredible,” said Henry de Bromhead just after the race that saw second place go to another of his stable, Balko Des Flos with Aidan Coleman steering. “Rachael was brilliant on him and it is amazing to do it for the McManus’. We got a lot of luck all the way around and winged fences, it’s incredible!”
Dr Peter FitzGerald CBE, Founder and Managing Director of Randox Health sponsors of the Aintree Grand National pictured here wearing another horse sports hat for polo presented the 2021 Grand National trophy. Image credit: Randox Health
Minella Times made the return trip home by ferry, arriving in Waterford Ireland along with eight-year-old bay gelding’s trainer.
“There will have to be a party now,” added Henry de Bromhead. “I had the old ferry trip again which was something to look forward to.”
