Rachael Blackmore honorary MBE was born on 11 July 1989 and is an Irish jockey who competes in National Hunt and flat racing.
13 Facts About Rachael Blackmore
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Rachael Blackmore became the first woman to be leading jockey at the Cheltenham Festival with six victories, including the Champion Hurdle, in 2021.
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The daughter of a teacher and a farmer, Rachael Blackmore grew up on a dairy farm in Killenaule, County Tipperary, Ireland, and first started riding ponies at just two years of age.
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Rachael Blackmore gained a degree in equine science at the University of Limerick, while riding out and competing as an amateur jockey.
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Rachael Blackmore rode her first winner as an amateur jockey on 10 February 2011, when Stowaway Pearl, trained by John Joseph "Shark" Hanlon, won the Tipperary Ladies' Handicap Hurdle at Thurles.
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Rachael Blackmore turned professional in March 2015, having ridden eleven point-to-point winners and seven winners under the Rules of Racing as an amateur rider.
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Rachael Blackmore had her first ride in the Grand National in 2018.
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Rachael Blackmore then gained her first Grade 1 victory when Minella Indo won the Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle.
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Rachael Blackmore finished the season with 90 winners and took the runner-up spot in the Irish jump racing Champion Jockey competition behind Paul Townend.
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On 10 April of the same year, Rachael Blackmore rode Minella Times to victory in the 2021 Grand National, becoming the first female jockey to win the race.
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At the 2022 Cheltenham Festival, Rachael Blackmore secured a repeat win on Honeysuckle in the Champion Hurdle and then became the first female jockey to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup, riding favourite A Plus Tard to a 15-length victory.
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On 17 December 2021, Rachael Blackmore was named The Irish Times' Ireland Sportswoman of the Year 2021.
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Rachael Blackmore was appointed an Honorary Member of the Order of the British Empire in the 2023 Special Honours for services to sport.