The professional career riding in Rachael Blackmore stretched just over 10 years. But it bends leaving some boxes of large indecisive breeds.
The daughter of a dairy farmer and a school teacher, Blackmore, became an unintentional path while she raised an ever -expanding list of money during what was a tremendous time in the weighing room.
She had to win her leg in the Pony Racing circuit which has seen so much before she cut her teeth. But she also competed in other horse events and studied a degree in horse science at the University of Limerick, with her mother, Eimir, encouraging her to pursue her studies as she felt a full -timely riding career was not possible.
Blackmore rode her first amateur winner for John ‘Shark’ Hanlon in Thurles in February 2011, and it was the one who encouraged her to dance. He provided her with a first professional victory, also in Clonmel on September 3, 2015.
With her acceptance, Blackmore was an “extremely average” amateur and felt the best way to change her view was to return professional in search of more travel and more success.
Her zealous attitude was rewarded properly when she was crowned Irish champion conditioned in 2017 – her first first – a year that would prove essentially how to ride regularly for Michael O’Leary’s Gigginstown House Stud, his race manager and his brother, Eddie, recommended Blackmore. Bromhead while in the back of a taxi on the way to the Aintree.
And so one of Racing’s most successful partnerships were born.
The duo enjoyed an abundance of success of the big race together, but the main victories of Blackmore can be distilled in three horses to greet from the Knockeen yard – honeysuckle, a plus Tard and Minella Times.
This is not to harm the likes of the other heroes of such festival Captain Guinness, Bob Olinger, Envoi Allen, Quilixios et al or any of the other Blackmore praise, only that special trio has forced the much greater stages.
Her relationship with Honeysuckle traveled the first of the 19 races of Mares with the last, with De Bromhead describing the duo as “a perfect storm” of Blackmore’s brightness and Honeysuckle’s “deadly” talent.
Their triumph of Hurdle champion in 2021 marked a progress for a female knight in a festive show, though De Bromhead was fast to underline that Blackmore’s ability should not be seen in gender – a feeling echoed by the knight itself.
She said at the time: “There is no deal about it. If you want to be a knight, you can be a knight. Drive.”
This would become her theme as she continued to destroy the barriers, not just when she achieves fame all over the world through the great national Minella Times victory, shouting: “I don’t feel male or female – I don’t even feel people! That’s incredible.”
Perhaps it speaks volumes that by the time Blackmore won the Golden Cup Cheltenham on board a plus Tard next year, you had to read a few paragraphs down in the racing section before mentioning a first win for a female knight.
Blackmore was simply seen by those who know as one of the best in the weighing room, the end of the discussion.
The attention that went with the superstar status did not always sit well with Blackmore, who is not the one to naturally put himself forward, preferring to do it by talking on the right track.
Her mother greeted her determination and humility, adding: “Despite the successes, Rachael remains true for herself. It is not good to succeed if you are not a good human being.”
Indeed, De Bromhead found Blackmore a great support after the tragic death of his 13-year-old son, Jack, in a Poni racing accident in September 2022.
He said: “To see her around when we had our tragedy, about children and their friends and all of us – she is an extraordinary person besides being a great knight.”
There was no hard eyes at home when Honeysuckle signed her fabulous career with the success of Mare’s obstacles just six months after the accident and Blackmore’s first thought was for Jack after crossing the line, in what was an extremely exciting day around.
Rachael Blackmore and Honeysuckle after Mare Obstacles Win in 2023
It would be fair to say that Blackmore has become a favorite fan, too, with no better illustration than the support that he saw that Mount Grand National 2023 is not that a shame sent to only 10-1 despite having gained only a moderate chase of beginners and its owner Brian Acheson declaring it “useless”.
An inspiration for many young fans of racing, whether it enjoys the label or not, Blackmore bends like a genuine player.
