Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
WE’RE IN WOMAN TO WIN NATIONAL DREAMLAND
» Parents tell of joy at Rachael’s incredible feat » But she’ll still ‘muck in’ on family dairy farm
THE proud parents of Grand National winner Rachael Blackmore said it’s “dream stuff” to see her smashing more records.
The 31-year-old cemented her place in sporting lore as the first woman to win the celebrated steeplechase in its 182-year history.
Having already made last month’s Cheltenham Festival her own, she won the £750,000 Aintree showpiece on Henry de Bromhead mount Minella Times.
Her dad Charles, a dairy farmer from Killenaule, Co Tipperary, said: “It’s dream stuff, you could never have envisaged that this would happen.
“She found something that she loved and she worked hard to make it happen.
“She got a fantastic start with Shark Hanlon and then got great support from Henry de Bromhead and Gigginstown and she has rode herself into the position she is in now.”
Mum Eimir admitted she watched the race through her fingers and was petrified as she watched her daughter round the famous elbow and cross the finish line.
She said: “We’re extremely proud of what she has achieved but I’m also very proud of myself because I actually managed to watch the race. It’s something I haven’t achieved up until now.
“It’s hard to watch when it’s your child and she’s travelling over jumps at 30mph. She’s doing something she loves, she has a passion but as a parent you’re always a bit concerned.
Eimir and Charles told the Daily Mirror they are looking forward to welcoming Rachel home – and assured her exploits won’t change her.
Her mum said: “It’ll be great to have another hand on the farm.
“She’s very hard working and when she’s here she just mucks in and does whatever jobs have to be done.
“That’s the way it always was when she was growing up. All three of the kids rode ponies and they all worked here on the farm.”
“The cows had to be milked this morning and they’re not a bit impressed Rachael has won the National.”
Women have only been allowed to enter and race in the National since 1975, when the Sex Discrimination Act was passed.
After the race an emotional Rachael paid tribute to her mount. She said:
I’m proud of myself as I actually watched the race EIMIR BLACKMORE CO TIPPERARY YESTERDAY
“This is the Aintree Grand National. I’m completely blown away.
“I got a fantastic passage the whole way. Minella Times was unbelievable, he jumped fantastic, I don’t think he missed a beat anywhere.
“He was able to travel into a gap, I seemed to have loads of space everywhere and you couldn’t have wished for a better passage. He was just unbelievable, he really was, his jumping was second to none.
“This is a massive deal for me personally, not the fact I’m a female.
The thing that hit me when I crossed the line was that I’d won the National, not that I’m the first female to win the National. I’m just delighted.”
Rachael’s parents said their daughter doesn’t look at her achievements through the lens of her gender.
Charles said: “It’s very easy for people to label her as the first female jockey to win the National but we don’t look at it that way. To us she’s an Irish Grand National winner from Tipperary and we’re delighted for her.
“Rachael would encourage all young people to take part in sport regardless of their gender.”
The Tipperary rider was typically cool on board Minella Times and showed all the tactical awareness that underlined her history making Cheltenham week as she cruised to victory.
She took the lead before the final fence and held off the challenge of stablemate Balko Des Flos to finish with six and a half lengths to spare – giving trainer Henry de Bromhead an unprecedented one, two in
the race. Saturday’s triumph was described by pundits as “one of the greatest moments in the sport” and back in her hometown of Killenaule, locals said she has put their small town on the map. Local woman Josie Meagher said: “We were roaring and shouting at the TV yesterday, she’s so brave. It was great to see a female winner.
“A great ambassador for Killenaule and she always remembers to mention where she came from. When she’s home she always makes it her business to say hello to everybody.
Pat Dunne said: “She was fantastic, she timed everything to perfection and she was just so calm and cool on him. I think she’s going to be one of the best jockeys in Ireland ever.
“She has that wow factor that Ruby Walsh has and I think she’s going to be one of the best.
“She knows the horses inside out and her timing is brilliant, she knows when to go and when to hold, that’s what makes the great jockeys great.
“She’s also very hardworking; she was out riding in Thurles the week after Cheltenham. She’s just an ordinary girl, there’s no airs or graces with her at all, she’s a lovely personality and really nice to talk to her.”
“I won a bob on her yesterday so I’m especially delighted.”
Rachael is the second woman to hold a professional licence in Irish National Hunt racing and made the switch from the amateur ranks in March 2015 after she was encouraged by Carlow trainer John ‘Shark’ Hanlon.
She was well backed by savvy punters and bookies Paddy Power said her win cost them £15million in
IN THE LEAD pay-outs. Local man Thomas Shelley said: “It’s great for Killenaule, to see a local jockey win a Grand National was brilliant.
“It’s a big racing area here with Coolmore only out the road but she’s put Killenaule on the map and we’re all delighted for her.”
And Minella Times returned home a hero yesterday – less than 24-hours after winning the world’s biggest jumps race. Red-hot trainer Henry de
Bromhead brought the racehorse back on the overnight ferry from Holyhead to Dublin and described the achievement as beyond his “wildest dreams”.
He told RTE News: “Winning a Grand National, we just can’t believe it really.
“And Rachael was brilliant, she was getting a lovely run mainly down the inner and weaving in and out here and there.
“She seemed to be spotting trouble before it even happened and obviously we had a lot of luck which you need in a race like that.”