RETURN OF A HEROINE MORE REASON TO CHEER
Gold Cup star Rachael wins again and admits: It’s just incredible!
RACHAEL BLACkMORE celebrated reaching the “top of the mountain” as she returned home to Thurles as a Cheltenham Gold Cup heroine yesterday.
winner, Stowaway Pearl, in February 2011. And she returned to a rapturous homecoming after the Mouse Morris trainee won the Carey Glass Hurdle.
On Tuesday, Co Tipperary-born Blackmore had lifted the Champion Hurdle for the second year in a row aboard De Bromhead’s Honeysuckle.
Blackmore said: “It’s just incredible. When I took out my licence, I wanted to win a Cheltenham Gold Cup – but I didn’t think I would even ride at Cheltenham, let alone in a Gold Cup.
“Getting a ride in a point-to-point was the top of the mountain back then, but you can never dream a dream too big. My first winner came here a good few years ago and Thurles is always a special place for me.
“It’s always good to get your first winner on the board – things have
The 32-year-old made history on Friday when partnering A Plus Tard to victory from Henry de Bromhead-trained stablemate – and defending champion – Minella Indo in the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup.
The success was the first in the race by a woman jockey and it I didn’t think I’d even also made ride at Cheltenham Blackmore ...but you can never the first rider dream a dream too big to capture Cheltenham’s Champion Hurdle and Gold Cup in the same week since AP McCoy 25 years ago.
Yesterday, Blackmore took one mount, Gentlemansgame, at
Thurles – the track where she partnered her first escalated a bit since!” Blackmore had blamed herself when A Plus Tard finished second to stablemate Minella Indo in the Gold Cup 12 months ago.
But the Cheveley Park
Stud-owned eight-year-old gained his revenge with a stunning 15-length supremacy as De Bromhead – responsible for Blackmore’s Grand National hero Minella
Times at Aintree last April – saddled the first two home in steeplechasing’s blue riband event for the second year in a row.
“The way A Plus Tard quickened after the last showed you he is just a » SCREAMING COLOURS, phenomenal horse,” she the 11-year-old trained by added. “For Henry to have Bill Durkan, ended the the 1-2 in the Gold Cup Irish week on a high with and win the Champion victory in the Midlands Hurdle two years in a row Grand National at is just incredible training.” Uttoxeter yesterday.