Rachael Blackmore is an Irish jockey who, in 2021, became the first female rider to win the Grand National (in the 182-year history of the race) on Minella Times. In 2022, she followed that up by becoming the first woman to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup.
As we approach the 2022 Grand National, Rachael’s mother, Eimir has written “A letter to my daughter” and recorded it as a voice over for a video put together by The Jockey Club, which owns Aintree Racecourse and stages the Randox Grand National. In it she pays tribute to Blackmore’s resilience, determination and humility and reveals her own phone “nearly melted” after her daughter’s groundbreaking success at the Cheltenham Festival in 2021.
Rachael and Minella Times hope to reprise their victory this weekend in the Grand National. Fingers crossed that they get around safe and even better, win a second time.
I’d like to be 1000th the rider she is !
Yes, she’s completely amazing.
So sad she fell off this year – not her fault – her horse got tangled up with another at the jump! She fell well, rolled in a ball and did not seem to be injured! I could have cried… just sent waves of sympathy and empathy to her telepathically while watching on TV. Hope she is doing well!!!!
So sad to watch her fall this year, she rolled into a ball away from the horses still jumping. Her horse tangled up with another over the jump. Grand National is scarey. 40 started and only about 10 made it home. Set her waves of empathy and good wishes telepathically as I watched her on TV. She is brave and a brilliant rider!
Yes, it’s tough race and Minella Times hasn’t completed a race this season. Glad they are both okay and ready to come back another day. Hats off to Sam Waley-Cohen and Noble Yeats. What a great way to end his career, winning the Grand National on his father’s horse.