
Blackmore retires a pioneer who broke new ground
Daughter of a dairy farmer and a school teacher, Blackmore became an unintentional trailblazer as she racked up an ever-expanding list of firsts during what has been an exceptional time in the weighing room.
She had to earn her own leg-up on the pony racing circuit which has seen so many before her cut their teeth. But she also competed in other equestrian events and studied for a degree in equine science at the University of Limerick, with her mother, Eimir, encouraging her to pursue her studies as she felt a full-time riding career was unlikely.
Blackmore rode her first amateur winner for John 'Shark' Hanlon at Thurles in February 2011, and it was he who encouraged her to make the leap. He provided her with a first professional victory, too, at Clonmel on September 3, 2015.
By her own admission, Blackmore was an 'extremely average' amateur and felt the best way to change her outlook was to turn professional in search of more rides and in turn more success.
Her hardworking attitude was duly rewarded when she was crowned champion Irish conditional in 2017 – her first first – a year which would prove pivotal as having ridden regularly for Michael O'Leary's Gigginstown House Stud, his racing manager and brother, Eddie, recommended Blackmore to trainer Henry de Bromhead while in the back of a taxi on the way to Aintree.
And so one of racing's most successful partnerships was born.
The duo enjoyed a plethora of big-race success together, but Blackmore's headline victories can be distilled to three horses to hail from the Knockeen yard – Honeysuckle, A Plus Tard and Minella Times.
That is not to demean the likes of other Festival heroes such Captain Guinness, Bob Olinger, Envoi Allen, Quilixios et al or any of Blackmore's other glories, it just that particular trio has obliged on the very grandest of stages.
Her relationship with Honeysuckle spanned the first of the mare's 19 races to her last, with De Bromhead describing the duo as 'a perfect storm' of Blackmore's brilliance and Honeysuckle's 'deadly' talent.
Their Champion Hurdle triumph in 2021 marked a breakthrough for a female rider in a Festival showpiece, though De Bromhead was quick to underline that Blackmore's ability should not be viewed in gender terms – a sentiment echoed by the rider herself.
She said at the time: 'There's no deal about it. If you want to be a jockey, you can be a jockey. Drive on.'
That was to become her theme as she continued to smash down the barriers, not least when achieving worldwide fame via Minella Times' Grand National victory, exclaiming: 'I don't feel male or female – I don't even feel human! This is unbelievable.'
It perhaps speaks volumes that by the time Blackmore won the Cheltenham Gold Cup aboard A Plus Tard the following year, while her sex remained the headline in the news pages, you had to read a few paragraphs down in the racing section before the fact it was a first win for a female rider was even mentioned.
Blackmore was merely seen by those in the know as one of the best in the weighing room, end of discussion.
The attention that went with superstar status did not always sit well with Blackmore, who is not one to naturally put herself forward, preferring to do her talking on the track.
Her mother hailed her determination and humility, adding: 'Despite the successes, Rachael remains true to herself. It's no good having success if you aren't a decent human being'.
Indeed, De Bromhead found Blackmore a huge support following the tragic death of his 13-year-old son, Jack, in a pony racing accident in September 2022.
He said: 'To see her around when we had our tragedy, around the children and with their friends and all of us – she's an incredible person apart from being a brilliant jockey.'
There was hardly a dry eye in the house when Honeysuckle signed off her fairytale career with Mares' Hurdle success just six months after the accident and Blackmore's first thought was for Jack after crossing the line, on what was a hugely emotional day all around.
It would be fair to say Blackmore has become a fan favourite, too, with no better illustration than the support that saw her 2023 Grand National mount Ain't That A Shame sent off at just 10-1 despite having only won a moderate beginners' chase and his owner Brian Acheson declaring him to be 'useless'.
An inspiration to plenty of young racing fans, whether she enjoys the tag or not, Blackmore bows out as a genuine game changer.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


The Herald Scotland
2 hours ago
- The Herald Scotland
Revenge is sweet as Edinburgh Festival creep gets his comeuppance
When he goes to see Hayley Sinclair's terrible one-woman show about the climate crisis, he dashes off a typically excoriating review. Having filed his piece, he coincidentally bumps into Hayley at the Traverse, the two of them get talking and, without revealing his identity, Alex whisks her back to his flat to spend the night. The next morning, when Hayley sees the review and realises that the man she slept with is the same one who has just ruthlessly demolished her show in print, she feels furious, humiliated and betrayed. But her revenge will be sweet. That night, she scraps her original show, revamping it as The Alex Lyons Experience, which not only reveals the sleazy, unethical way he treated her but invites audience members to chip in with contributions about the appalling treatment they've suffered at the hands of callous, duplicitous men. Read more From an environmentally-themed show destined to sink without trace, Hayley's evening slot becomes the most sought-after ticket on the Fringe, a lightning rod for women's exasperation with cheats, creeps and rakes, and Alex achieves nationwide notoriety as an emblem of toxic masculinity. Interestingly, the story isn't told from the point of view of either Hayley or Alex, but of Sophie Rigden, an art critic from the same paper who is staying in the same flat as Alex over the Festival. Naturally, she's disgusted with her colleague's behaviour, but seeing Alex day after day she can't help but start to feel protective of him now that he's become Public Enemy No 1 and finds herself bringing a more nuanced view to events. We don't need to read Charlotte Runcie's bio to realise that she's done her fair share of Fringe reviewing: her account of Edinburgh at Festival-time is too accurate to be anything other than first-hand. And she weaves in a running theme of the role of the critic in an arts scene increasingly dominated by the TripAdvisor ethic. Author Charlotte Runcie (Image: Gordon Terris) Alex's strident declarations of the important work he's doing in helping to raise the standards of theatre, his high-minded claims to integrity and impartiality and his jibes about how Hayley has propelled herself to fame on the back of her encounter with him – none of them hold much water, but behind them Sophie can see a lost and somewhat bewildered little boy neglected by his mother, a theatrical Dame, who always put her art before her family. The situation forces Sophie to question how honest she is in her own arts journalism and to reflect on her relationship with her late mother and the state of her marriage. This stint at the Fringe is the longest she's been away from her young son, and as much as she wants to see her baby boy again she has doubts about her future with her partner, Josh. By highlighting Sophie's conflicted feelings, Bring the House Down steps back from being the kind of savage comic satire one might anticipate. It's funny, skewering both entitled men and the relationship between critics and performers, but Runcie's compassion overrides her killer instinct. In rejecting Alex's worldview, Runcie refuses to rate him either a one or a five, coming down somewhere in between and making this novel a gentle satire, with a heart.


North Wales Chronicle
2 hours ago
- North Wales Chronicle
Former trainer Peter Easterby dies aged 95
A member of one of the most famous racing families in Yorkshire, he trained with great success on the Flat and over jumps before retiring in 1996. He was succeeded by his son, Tim, while his brother Mick still shares a licence today with his own son, David, with many other members of the family involved in racing. Tim Easterby announced on X: 'It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of my father Peter Easterby. Everyone at Great British Racing is saddened to learn of the passing of legendary trainer, Peter Easterby, at the age of 95. The pioneer of one of British Racing's great dynasties, his pursuit of excellence will no doubt be continued by the generations to follow. Our thoughts… — Great British Racing (@GBRacing) June 9, 2025 'He passed away peacefully in his own home with his family by his side. 'A true gentleman, legendary racehorse trainer, passionate farmer, lover of country sports and an incredibly proud father and grandfather.' Sea Pigeon and Night Nurse were both dual Champion Hurdle winners, while Easterby also won two Gold Cups with Alverton in 1979 and Little Owl in 1981. Proving his versatility, Easterby sent out Sea Pigeon to win the Ebor off top weight and the Chester Cup twice, while Night Nurse finished second to Little Owl in the Gold Cup, narrowly failing to become the first horse to win the two biggest prizes at the Cheltenham Festival. Saucy Kit was another Champion Hurdle winner in 1967 for Easterby and for a time his five wins in the race were a record. His notable Flat triumphs included the Kings's Stand Stakes with Goldhill, the Gimcrack with Sonnen Gold, two Lincolns and three Ayr Gold Cups. Easterby sent out over 2,500 winners during his lengthy career and Tim Easterby is still based at Habton Grange. Jonjo O'Neill was crowned champion jockey twice in 1977-78 and 1978-79 with the help of Easterby and he was aboard Alverton for his Gold Cup success and Sea Pigeon for his 1980 Champion Hurdle win. 'We had some great times together, he was great man to ride for and we were very lucky together – you could say we were a good partnership,' said O'Neill. 'He was a great man and a great trainer, what he did with the likes of Sea Pigeon and Night Nurse – their longevity was incredible. And to win a Gold Cup with Alverton, he didn't have great legs. 'It's hard to pick out one particular race. I think the best thing you could say was that he could train a horse to win over five furlongs or 25 miles. He was just a genius and a great man to ride for. 'He just understood the game and understood horses, he had a great eye for them and made it easy for everyone. He was brilliant, there was always another day in his eyes.' O'Neill missed the 1981 Cheltenham Festival through injury and John Francome was called up to replace him on the then 11-year-old Sea Pigeon when he produced an ice-cool ride that went down in history. Francome said: 'I saw Tim (Easterby) last Thursday up at Malton at Jack Berry's do and he said he wasn't very well then, but he was an amazing guy. 'It's amazing to train 1,000 winners on the Flat and jumping, you never saw him when he wasn't smiling, he was as sharp as a tack and lovely with it – he was a charming man.' Reflecting on Sea Pigeon's 1981 Champion Hurdle triumph, Francome added: 'Jonjo broke his leg really badly in a fall at Bangor, so I got the call. 'Peter was always relaxed. I remember going in the paddock at Cheltenham and saying 'how is he?' because I'd never ridden him out or anything, and Peter just said 'he's better than he was last year' and he was absolutely right. 'I never sat down and discussed it with him. He trained him, he was the best horse and that was it. 'He was an easy horse to ride and the best horse in the race by some way.' Mick Easterby hailed the many training accomplishments of his brother via his website and concluded by saying: 'Peter touched the lives of so many people. He will be greatly missed by the family and the many friends he made both in the racing and farming communities.'


North Wales Chronicle
2 hours ago
- North Wales Chronicle
Five star performers for trainer Peter Easterby
Alverton A typical Easterby type in that he was precocious enough to be good on the Flat, finishing second in the 1976 Ebor, and hardy enough to be even better over jumps. Winner of the Arkle Trophy in 1978, he successfully stepped up in distance to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup the following year. It was close between him and Tied Cottage at the final fence where the Irish horse fell, leaving Alverton to coast home in the snow and mud. He started favourite for the Grand National in the same year and was going easily when suffering a fatal fall Becher's Brook on the second circuit. Goldhill Easterby may be better known for training stayers and jumpers, but it was the sprinter Goldhill that first put him on the map. After winning the Windsor Castle Stakes at Royal Ascot in 1963, Goldhill would have gone there for the King's Stand Stakes in 1964 but the meeting was abandoned due to waterlogging. However, he put the record straight when taking the five-furlong feature in 1965. Coincidentally, Goldhill retired to stud and became a successful stallion, most notably siring dual Champion Hurdle winner Comedy Of Errors. Little Owl Little Owl led home a one-two for Easterby in the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 1981 when denying his stablemate Night Nurse. The trainer picked up Little Owl for 2,300 guineas and the sky appeared to be the limit when he captured the big prize at the tender age of seven on only his fifth start over fences. It was not to be, though, as he was badly hit by a virus and was never anywhere near his best form again. Night Nurse A good Flat career was expected from this son of Falcon, but though he won a Ripon maiden at the age of three, it was over jumps that he made his name, winning 32 of his 64 races over obstacles. He was 'all heart', according to Easterby, and was one of the star turns in a golden era. He won the Champion Hurdle in 1976 and 1977 and in the latter year dead-heated with Monksfield, giving him 6lb, at Aintree. He also gave his all over fences and recovered from a bad injury to go down by only a length and a half to Little Owl in the Gold Cup in 1981. Sea Pigeon Sea Pigeon had been a good horse on the Flat for Jeremy Tree and over hurdles when with Gordon Richards, but became a great one under Easterby's guidance from early 1977. His exploits under both codes are legendary and it was his burst of speed that stood him out from the rest. A dual Chester Cup hero and memorable winner of the Ebor, it was his four consecutive appearances in the Champion Hurdle that are perhaps most fondly remembered. Second in 1978 and 1979, he finally lifted the prize in 1980 and repeated the trick the following year at the age of 11 under a vintage John Francome ride.