Irish jockey and KPMG Ambassador Rachael Blackmore put in a stellar performance at the Cheltenham Festival 2024.
Building on last year's success, Rachael secured the first win of the week in the Supreme Novices Hurdle (Grade 1) on Slade Steel.
Followed by a historic win that saw Rachael becoming the first woman to win the Queen Mother Champion Chase on Captain Guinness.
Rachael Blackmore, KPMG ambassador and Irish jockey caught up with Jane Mangan, former Irish Jockey and RTE broadcaster for an exclusive interview.
We delve into Rachael's decorated Cheltenham history, getting an insight into how it feels to be part of the action at the pinnacle event of the jump-racing calendar.
Rachael has won 14 races at the Cheltenham Festival and two more winners would see Rachael enter the top 10 list of most successful jockeys in Cheltenham Festival history.
Rachael grew up in Killenaule, Co. Tipperary. Horses have been central to her life and she started riding on the track as an amateur jockey. While doing so, she gained a degree in equine science at Limerick University
The Tipperary woman’s first visit to the Cheltenham festival was in her early 20s - as a spectator. Her first festival ride was on Magna Cartor for John ‘Shark’ Hanlon in the 2017 Supreme Novices Hurdle. He finished well beaten, but Rachael was up and running. It was the same Shark Hanlon who had provided Rachael with her first winner as an amateur in Ireland - on Stowaway Pearl back in 2011.
Rachael’s earliest Cheltenham festival memory was of Istabraq winning one of his Champion Hurdles – he famously went on to win three-in-a-row. Istabraq was trained by Aidan O’Brien in Ballydoyle, just a few miles outside Cashel - down the road from where Rachael attended school in Moyglass National School.
“I was in fifth or sixth class at the time, when we were brought over to Ballydoyle to see Istabraq. It was some thrill at the time, to get that close to the best horse around. He definitely ignited my interest in racing” said Rachael.
Rachael recalled that first ride at the Cheltenham Festival - “Going into the Weigh Room to ride Magna Cartor, I remember thinking I was just so grateful to be a part of it. There was no pressure as he was an outsider on the day. It was the Supreme so the first race of the week, to be at the start and hear the roar was very cool.”
Fast forward to 2019. Rachael Blackmore rides her first Cheltenham Festival winner on A Plus Tard in a novice handicap chase, trained by Henry de Bromhead.
“His acceleration after the last (fence) when he won in 2019 and in the Gold Cup in 2022, was just incredible. When he won in 2019, that was a massive day. I only had a handful of rides previously at Cheltenham, and had never ridden a Festival winner there, Henry de Bromhead was putting me up on a lot of good horses for the week so it was great to be able to repay his faith in me with a winner on the Tuesday.”
“The track is unique in itself, it’s racing’s biggest stage, it’s our Olympics. That same week, Minella Indo gave me my first Grade 1 success.”
There’s hardly a person in Ireland who hasn’t heard of Honeysuckle. Rachael rode the mare every time she ran - 19 times in total.
Honeysuckle provided her with her first domestic Grade 1 success at Fairyhouse in 2019 and the following year, the pair won the Mares Hurdle at Cheltenham. Honeysuckle went on to win back-to-back Champion Hurdles with Rachael in 2021 and 2022.
2021 was special for Henry de Bromhead, who saddled the first two home in the 2021 Gold Cup after Minella Indo defeated A Plus Tard – with Rachael riding the runner-up.
It was a tough call for Rachael to make and although thrilled for the connections of Minella Indo, she has unfinished business when the pair reopposed in the 2022 Gold Cup.
“I felt I had not given A Plus Tard the best ride in 2021. I had finished second in a Gold Cup and so much would have to go right to get another chance to win that race”
The previous year, Henry had the most unbelievable Cheltenham when he won the Champion Hurdle, the Champion Chase and saddled the first two home in the Gold Cup.
On the lead up to the 2022 festival, Rachael opted to ride A Plus Tard. His prep had gone well, he had proven form at the track, but so did Minella Indo, who had provided her with her first Grade 1 success at the 2019 festival, and was the reigning Gold Cup champion.
‘I remember after jumping the third last, that I had loads of horse underneath me. When I asked him to pick up after the last, it was an incredible feeling - he accelerated all the way to the line.”
“Coming back down in front of the stands that year after the crowds had been missing the previous year was just the most incredible feeling. It’s the biggest race of the year and the one that everyone wants to win. To have won it in the manner he did was just incredible. I am just so grateful to have been a part of it.”
Fast forward to 2023. The racing world was grieving for the de Bromhead family, who had lost their beloved son, Jack, the previous summer in a riding accident. The racing community rallied as they always do in difficult circumstances.
Because of that tragic event, the first day of the 2023 Cheltenham festival took on an added significance as Kenny Alexander opted to run Honeysuckle in the Mares Hurdle instead of attempting to win the Champion Hurdle once again.
This race was to be Honeysuckle’s swansong too.
There’s barely a household in Ireland who did not know Honeysuckle and Rachael Blackmore, and everyone watching both at home and on the track - bar those connected to her rivals - were rooting for ‘Honey’ and Rachael.
As they turned for home, Honeysuckle kicked into overdrive for Rachael and they picked off Love Envoi after the last hurdle to win on her final start. It was the perfect result.
‘Honey’ retired on the biggest stage of all – her fourth Cheltenham success and she retired as one of the great mares of all time. One sensed a little help from above too. The significance of the victory wasn’t lost on anyone. That was for Jack and the de Bromhead family.
When Honeysuckle and Rachael went by the winning post, thousands descended on the winners enclosure. They wanted to show their appreciation and the reception they all received was unforgettable.
“The reception was different, it was something I’d never experienced before. Everyone was cheering for Honeysuckle but they were cheering for Jack as well. Kenny Alexander - owner of Honeysuckle is just brilliant to ride for. There was no pressure, and he was happy for her to run that day and then retire her and she delivered. I knew that was it, and I just enjoyed that day so much. The crowd made that day so special for everyone and I am very grateful to them for that”.
