Ladies’ day as top pair enjoy starring roles

THE nation witnessed history on Saturday when 31-year-old Rachel Blackmore became the first female jockey to win the Aintree Grand National.

Her victory aboard Minella Times came just weeks after she rode an incredible six winners at the Cheltenham Festival.

She is riding on the crest of a wave, but there are plenty of other successful women in our sport. Four female trainers had winners at Chepstow’s fixture on Saturday, including Venetia Williams, who has recorded the most wins by a lady trainer in the history of jump racing.

She is based in Herefordshire, a base from where she has sent out the winners of some of the biggest races in the jump calendar, including Mon Mome, the 100-1 winner of the 2009 Grand National. Other notable victories have come in the Coral Welsh Grand National (twice), the Ladbrokes Trophy and the King George VI Chase.

On Saturday at Chepstow there was further evidence of why she has been so successful when L’homme Presse, who had been off the track for 773 days, won by 28 lengths in the opening novices’ hurdle.

The six-year-old had been trained in France in early 2019 but suffered an injury. That didn’t put off owner Andrew Edwards, who bought him regardless of the mishap.

He’d been tipped off that the horse was useful by Felix de Giles, an English jockey now riding on the other side of the Channel.

Roll on two years and with the gelding in Venetia’s care, a pretty spectacular UK racecourse debut followed, which is testament to the skills of an exceptional trainer.

Pyle-based trainer and owner David Brace had a day to remember on Friday when his horse Pink Eyed Pedro, successful at the Unibet Jump Season Opener at Chepstow last October, finished runner-up at 33-1 in the Topham Chase at Aintree.

Potters Corner, the hope of Wales, was pulled up in the Grand National.

Robin Of Sherwood, an ultra-consistent chaser owned by Welsh rugby players Gareth Davies and Rob Evans, made it three wins for the season when he scored at Warwick on Sunday. Sean Bowen was in the saddle.

The next fixture at Ffos Las is on Monday, May 10, and there is a meeting at Chepstow on Friday, April 23, sponsored by Burnham Plastering.

This is the final jump meeting at Chepstow until October, with flat racing resuming on Friday, April 30.