BLACK IN THE SADDLE
Rachael wins on return to track after Grand glory
GRAND NATIONAL victor Rachael Blackmore was back among the winners at Fairyhouse yesterday as she steered Somptueux to glory for Henry de Bromhead.
Blackmore created history on Saturday when steering the De Bromhead-trained Minella Times to victory at Aintree, becoming the first female rider to win the four-and-a-quarter-mile marathon in its long history.
The rider was once again seen to good effect aboard Somptueux in the Follow Fairyhouse On Social Media Rated Novice Chase, with Blackmore getting the 5-1 shot home in front, beating Samurai Cracker by two lengths after a battle from the last.
Blackmore said: ‘We didn’t go much of a gallop and he was a bit in my hands early on. It was a lovely first run back after a break and hopefully he’ll progress now.’
Fairyhouse manager Peter Roe made a special presentation to Blackmore in recognition of her National win and reflecting on
Saturday’s headline-grabbing performance, she added: ‘It’s hard to even comprehend it all.’
Somptueux’s victory means Blackmore is now nine winners adrift of the currently-sidelined Paul Townend in the race for the Irish jockey’s title.
De Bromhead is struggling to take in quite what he has achieved this season.
The Waterford-based handler dominated the Cheltenham Festival in winning the Champion Hurdle and Champion Chase as well as saddling the first two home in the Gold Cup, before repeating that feat with a one-two in Saturday’s Grand National.
No trainer has matched De Bromhead’s achievement in claiming those three Cheltenham feature races as well as the Grand National in the same season — not even the handler’s childhood hero.
‘Vincent O’Brien was my idol growing up, so to be mentioned in the same breath as him is pretty incredible to be honest,’ he said.
History will remember Minella Times as being the mount of the first female jockey to win the National in Rachael Blackmore, but De Bromhead was keen to credit several others, too.
‘A lot of the credit for him even being there has to go to Frank Berry (racing manager) and the McManus (family),’ he said.
‘Frank first suggested it at Christmas after the Paddy Power Chase at Leopardstown. I’d rung to say we’d entered for the Thyestes, but Frank said we should look at the National, so he deserves a lot of credit.
‘The two questions marks with the National if you haven’t done it before are the trip and how they take to the fences, but Rachael knew after the second he took to it like a duck to water.’
“It was a lovely
first run back after a break”