Rachael Blackmore, who tasted victory in both the Cheltenham Gold Cup and Grand National during an illustrious riding career, has announced her retirement with immediate effect.
The 35-year-old took to X Rachael Blackmore (@rachaelblackmor) / X on Monday afternoon to reveal the news that she would no be longer riding professionally and she has decided to her hang up her saddle after.
Blackmore’s relationship with top Irish handler Henry De Bromhead has seen her propel to the top of the National Hunt scene and she showed her brilliance when lighting up the 2021 Cheltenham Festival when she piloted star mare Honeysuckle to victory in the Champion Hurdle, a race the pair would go on to retain a year later as well having already won the Mares’ Hurdle together in 2020 and again in 2023.
However, she broke into the mainstream of sporting headlines when she rode Minella Times to victory in the 2021 Grand National. Becoming the first woman to ride the winner of Aintree’s marquee showpiece, the Irish starlet went on to be crowned the 2021 RTE Sports Person Of The Year.
She continued to be one of the dominant figures at the Cheltenham Festival and a year later in 2022 partnered A Plus Tard to victory in the Cheltenham Gold Cup, while she continued to sparkle at Prestbury Park and only two months ago she was seen riding Bob Olinger to victory in the Stayers’ Hurdle.
In a passionate statement, Blackmore thanked a gaggle of well known faces in the Irish horse racing industry, which included the aforementioned De Bromhead, Willie Mullins, Shark Hanlon and Brian Hayes.
Here’s the statement released by Rachael Blackmore in full…
