Rachael Blackmore: From Conditional to Cheltenham Icon
Stunning Career Culminates in Stayers’ Triumph
Rachael Blackmore, the virtuoso jump jockey who scaled unprecedented heights in Britian and Irish racing, announced her immediate retirement. The 35-year-old, who completed the Cheltenham Festival’s ‘big four’ before the pandemic, hung up her boots following Bob Olinger’s Stayers’ Hurdle victory.
After spurring Honeysuckle to Champion Hurdle glory in the behind-closed-doors 2021 festival, Blackmore brought the curtain down on a stellar career. She bowed out as the festival’s third most successful rider, with 18 wins, behind only Ruby Walsh and Barry Geraghty.
distinguees =Rachael Blackmore wrote on her X account: “My days of being a jockey have come to an end,” she said. ” I feel very lucky to have had the career I’ve had. To have been in the right place at the right time with the right people, and to have gotten on the right horses – because it doesn’t matter how good you are without them. They have given me the best days of my life and to them I am most grateful.
Rewind: From Conditional to Champion
Blackmore’s conditional title triumph in 2017 kicked off a remarkable run. Two years later, she became the first woman to win any Cheltenham Festival feature race, besting 22 rivals on Honeysuckle in the Champion Hurdle. The victory catapulted her into the spotlight, opening doors to larger owners and bigger horses.
In 2021, Blackmore secured the sport’s four most prestigious prizes when winning the Champion Chase, Grand National, and Gold Cup. A Plus Tard’s Gold Cup victory crowned her Champion Hurdle-Gold Cup double, the first since AP McCoy in 2013.
Blackmore saluted her mentor and partner, Henry de Bromhead: He was the catalyst for what was to come. He is a phenomenal trainer, who brought out the best in me,” she said. “Without him, my story is very different.
Legacy and Promotion of Sport
Support from Michael O’Leary’s Gigginstown House Stud ownership vehicle initially opened doors to De Bromhead. Their partnership elevated Cheltenham-based racing into the global sporting limelight. Blackmore’s Fremantle achievement in the 2021 Cheltenham Festival, completed over four days with victories on Honeysuckle (Champion Hurdle), Bob Olinger (Stayers’ Hurdle), Allaho (Ryanair Chase), and A Plus Tard (Gold Cup), resonated worldwide.
Her absence now leaves a vast void, but her legacy cannot be understated. By shattering stereotypes and transcending gender barriers, Blackmore redefined perception and inspired generations.