Rachael Blackmore facts for kids

Rachael Blackmore is an amazing Irish jockey. She was born on July 11, 1989. Rachael competes in horse races called National Hunt and flat racing.

In 2021, she made history! She became the first female jockey to win the famous Grand National race. This race had been going on for 182 years! That same year, she was also the first woman to be the top jockey at the Cheltenham Festival. She won six races there, including the important Champion Hurdle.

The next year, Rachael made history again. She became the first female jockey to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup. Because of her amazing wins, she was named the 2021 RTÉ Sports Person of the Year. She also won the BBC World Sport Star of the Year.

Early Life and Learning

Rachael Blackmore grew up on a dairy farm in Killenaule, County Tipperary, Ireland. Her mom was a teacher and her dad was a farmer. She started riding ponies when she was only two years old!

As she grew up, Rachael loved horses. She took part in pony club meetings and even pony racing. She went to the University of Limerick and earned a degree in equine science. This means she studied horses! While studying, she also rode and competed as an amateur jockey.

Becoming a Professional Jockey

Rachael won her first race as an amateur jockey on February 10, 2011. She was riding a horse named Stowaway Pearl. The race was at Thurles.

In March 2015, Rachael decided to become a professional jockey. Before that, she had won many races as an amateur. Her first win as a professional was on September 3, 2015, at Clonmel. In 2017, she became the first woman to win the conditional riders' championship in Ireland. This was a big achievement!

Big Races and Historic Wins

Rachael rode in the Grand National for the first time in 2018. Her horse, Alpha des Obeaux, fell during the race.

Her first win at the famous Cheltenham Festival came in 2019. She won with a horse named A Plus Tard. Soon after, she got her first Grade 1 victory. This is a top-level race! She won with Minella Indo. Both horses were trained by Henry de Bromhead. Rachael became his stable jockey, meaning she rode for his team. In the 2019 Grand National, she finished tenth on Valseur Lido.

Rachael's first Grade 1 win in Ireland was in April 2019. She won with Honeysuckle at Fairyhouse. She ended that season with 90 wins! She was the second-best jockey in Ireland that year. Honeysuckle helped her win again at the Cheltenham Festival in 2020.

In 2021, Rachael made history at the Cheltenham Festival. She was the first female jockey to win the Champion Hurdle with Honeysuckle. She also won six races over the four days. This made her the first female jockey to win the Ruby Walsh Trophy for being the top jockey at Cheltenham!

On April 10, 2021, Rachael rode Minella Times to victory in the 2021 Grand National. She became the first female jockey ever to win this huge race! Minella Times was a favorite and won by a lot. Because of the COVID-19 rules, there were no fans there to see her amazing win. After the race, she said, "I don't feel male or female right now. I don't even feel human.... It's unbelievable."

At the 2022 Cheltenham Festival, Rachael won the Champion Hurdle again with Honeysuckle. Then, she made history once more! She became the first female jockey to win the 2022 Cheltenham Gold Cup. She rode her favorite horse, A Plus Tard, to a huge victory.

Personal Life

As of April 2021, Rachael Blackmore is in a relationship with another jockey, Brian Hayes.

Cheltenham Festival Wins (16)

• Cheltenham Gold Cup – (1) – A Plus Tard (2022)
• Queen Mother Champion Chase – (1) – Captain Guinness (2024)
• Supreme Novices' Hurdle – (1) – Slade Steel (2024)
• Baring Bingham Novices' Hurdle – (1) – Bob Olinger (2021)
• Champion Bumper – (1) – Sir Gerhard (2021)
• Champion Hurdle – (2) – Honeysuckle (2021, 2022)
• Centenary Novices' Handicap Chase – (1) – A Plus Tard (2019)
• David Nicholson Mares' Hurdle – (2) – Honeysuckle (2020, 2023)
• Dawn Run Mares' Novices' Hurdle – (1) – Telmesomethinggirl (2021)
• Golden Miller Novices' Chase – (1) – Bob Olinger (2022)
• Ryanair Chase – (2) – Allaho (2021), Envoi Allen (2023)
• Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle – (1) – Minella Indo (2019)
• Triumph Hurdle – (1) – Quilixios (2021)

Major Wins in Ireland

• Arkle Novice Chase – (1) – Notebook (2020)
• Hatton's Grace Hurdle – (3) – Honeysuckle (2019, 2020, 2021)
• Irish Champion Hurdle – (3) – Honeysuckle (2020, 2021, 2022)
• Irish Daily Mirror Novice Hurdle – (1) – Minella Indo (2019)
• Ladbrokes Champion Chase – (1) – Envoi Allen (2022)
• Mares Novice Hurdle Championship Final – (1) – Honeysuckle (2019)
• Paddy's Reward Club Chase – (2) – A Plus Tard (2019), Envoi Allen (2021)
• Punchestown Champion Hurdle – (2) – Honeysuckle (2021, 2022)
• Racing Post Novice Chase – (1) – Notebook (2019)
• Slaney Novice Hurdle – (1) – Bob Olinger (2021)

Major Wins in Great Britain

• Betfair Chase – (1) – A Plus Tard (2021)
• Top Novices' Hurdle – (1) – Inthepocket (2023)

Awards and Honors

Rachael Blackmore has won many awards for her amazing achievements.

• On December 17, 2021, she was named The Irish Times' Ireland Sportswoman of the Year.
• That same week, she was called the Horse Racing Ireland Irish Racing Hero.
• She also won the RTÉ Sports Person of the Year award.
• On December 19, she received the BBC Sports Personality World Sport Star of the Year award.

Rachael was also given a special honor. She was made an Honorary Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 2023. This was for her great contributions to sports.

See also

In Spanish: Rachael Blackmore para niños