Latest news with #NoviceHurdle
Irish Daily Mirror
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Daily Mirror
Rachael Blackmore breaks silence on what led to shock retirement announcement
Record breaking jockey Rachael Blackmore has given her first interview since her shock retirement from horse racing last week. The 35-year-old Tipperary woman stunned the sport last week when announcing she was ending her trailblazing career in the saddle in a lengthy statement on social media. Blackmore became the first woman jockey to win the Grand National at Aintree in 2021 and has also won all four of the major championship races at Cheltenham, completing the set just last March on Bob Olinger in the Stayers' Hurdle. In a YouTube interview with Betfair, Blackmore has admitted that she was in 'agony' about making her decision to retire — a thought that first entered her head on leaving Cheltenham this year. Her final ride was a winning one at Cork on May 10th, when partnering the Henry De Bromhead-trained Ma Belle Etoile to victory in a Novice Hurdle. 'It all just kind of happened when it happened. I think at Cheltenham this year on the Friday, just when I was leaving the weighroom, for the first time I just kind of had a little thought in my head 'will I be back here next season?' 'It's the first time that ever crept into my head. I didn't know really why but I just sort of said to myself, leave it til June and get to the (jump) jockey's break in June and I'll take some time then and think about it. But she fast tracked it by a number of weeks and called time on her career on May 12th. 'I was just going to Cork the other day and I thought to myself if this one wins maybe that's the time to call it and she won and in my own head I thought 'I think that's it'. 'I just needed to talk out loud about it first before I made any announcements or anything. I'd just digest that to myself. And on Sunday morning I just said I think that's going to be it.' Blackmore said she's had several 'long lunches' since the announcement and was quick to thank the many well wishers that had been in touch over the past number of days. 'I'm good, it's about a week and a bit in so I'm starting to try and process and digest it all and have been for a few long lunches last week and catching up with a lot of friends and with nice things in general. 'It's overwhelming, people are just so kind and I've got messages, emails and letters. I've got messages from people I'd known in passing but never would have had their number but they're going to the effort of getting my number and writing me a little message. 'I think when you're riding you never let yourself get too caught up in it all but now that I'm finished I can really appreciate everything and take it all in. 'There was a relief, as in my head I was in agony over it. It was really hard to know what to say and there were so many people, I could have written three A4 pages of people to thank. 'I think everyone that's ever helped me along the way, has given me one ride, has improved me and I've learned something from that. It was a really hard thing to write as so many people have helped me along the way." More to follow... Get the latest sports headlines straight to your inbox by signing up for free email.
BBC News
02-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
State Man beats Constitution Hill at Punchestown
State Man won the Champion Hurdle at the Punchestown Festival as Constitution Hill came home in fifth place. Despite falls in consecutive races at Cheltenham and Aintree, Constitution Hill was an 8-13 favourite to get back to winning ways at Punchestown. However it was State Man, who also fell at Cheltenham, who stormed to victory with Paul Townend on home soil, while eight-time Grade One winner Constitution Hill drifted away to a fifth place finish. It was a third Champion Hurdle victory at the festival for the Willie Mullins trained horse, who came home ahead of Cheltenham winner Golden Ace. "It's the performance we always thought he had in him," Mullins said about State Man on RTE."In fairness to Constitution Hill, I don't think he turned up on the day. It's very hard to travel from England after having two falls and things just didn't go right for him."Our fella has run his true race and that's been a constant thing in his racing life, he always turns up and runs his race. It was a huge performance."Townend and Mullins combined to win the Grade One Novice Hurdle on Final Demand, ahead of Lovely Hurling and Tripoli House won the opening race of the day in the Hunters' Chase, while Its On The Line came home in the Champion Hunters' Music won the Novice Handicap Chase, Gordon Elliott's Casheldale Lad claimed the Novice Hurdle and Soldier In Milan won the Flat Race in the final outing of the final day of the festival takes place on Saturday.
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Galopin Des Champs wins first Punchestown Gold Cup
Galopin Des Champs won a first Punchestown Gold Cup at the third attempt on Wednesday [Getty Images] Galopin Des Champs produced a dominant display to win a first Punchestown Gold Cup. Jockey Paul Townend guided the two-time Cheltenham Gold Cup winner to a 22-length victory over Spillane's Tower. It proved to be third time lucky for the Willie Mullins trained 5-6 favourite, who twice finished second behind Fastorslow in the previous two years at Punchestown. Advertisement "He was back to his best, he was jumping at his ease," said Mullins. "Paul was just full of confidence in him. To win that race by 22 lengths was awesome. To me it was awesome anyway. "He's a very good horse. He has to be one of the best chasers we have ever had anyway." Mullins, who also enjoyed two surprise victories on Tuesday, picked up another two wins in the day's other Grade One contests. In the Novice Hurdle, Cheltenham victor and 13-8 favourite Jasmin De Vaux edged out Aintree winner Honesty Policy by half a length in a thrilling finale. Jasmin De Vaux, ridden by Townend, recovered from a mistake at the final hurdle to move ahead before the line. In the Champion Bumper, the 11-8 favourite Bambino Fever finished clear of Switch From Diesel in second.
BBC News
30-04-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Galopin Des Champs wins first Punchestown Gold Cup
Galopin Des Champs produced a dominant to display to win a first Punchestown Gold Paul Townend led Galopin Des Champs as he finished 22 lengths ahead of second place Spillane's proved to be third time lucky for the Willie Mullin's trained 5-6 favourite, who twice finished second behind Fastorslow in the past two years of this who also enjoyed two shock victories on Tuesday, picked up another two wins in the day's other Grade One the Novice Hurdle, Cheltenham victor and 13-8 favourite Jasmin De Vaux edged out Aintree winner Honesty Police by half a length in a thrilling De Vaux under Townend recovered from a mistake on the final hurdle to move ahead before the the Champions Bumper, the 11-8 favourite Bambino Fever finished clear of Switch From Diesel in second.
The Guardian
17-02-2025
- Sport
- The Guardian
Henderson seeks Cheltenham redemption with star turns after 2024 blank
Forty years on from his first Cheltenham festival success, with See You Then in the 1985 Champion Hurdle, Nicky Henderson is still at the peak of his profession – and still taking nothing for granted. 'The only time I've ever been confident about anything was Altior's Supreme [Novice Hurdle in 2016],' Henderson said on Monday. 'It didn't matter what Willie [Mullins] brought over that year, he wasn't going to beat him. 'But we always have said, you'd settle for one [winner at the Cheltenham festival]. If you have one on the first day then you get the bit between your teeth and you can say, OK, let's kick on. That one is absolutely crucial, and didn't we half find out last year, because none is horrendous.' Setbacks, disappointments and frustrations flew at Henderson from all directions both before and during last year's festival meeting, as star turns including Constitution Hill, Jonbon and Sir Gino were last-minute scratches as a bug swept through the stable at the worst possible moment of the year. The handful of horses from his yard that made it to post showed little or nothing of their best form, and Henderson's eventual blank over the four days was his first since 2008. There has been fresh misfortune already before this year's meeting with Sir Gino, the likely odds-on favourite for the Arkle Trophy on the meeting's opening day, ruled out with an injury. But the most successful British-based trainer at the meeting over the last four decades still has several big chances across the week, including three current Grade One favourites in Constitution Hill, in the Champion Hurdle on 11 March; Jonbon, in the Champion Chase the following day, and Lulamba in the Triumph Hurdle, the opener on the final afternoon on 14 March. All three were on parade here on Monday along with Palladium, last year's German Derby winner, who is also on course for the Triumph, and clearly in excellent health. The market leaders for the feature events on the first two days of the festival have sharply differing characters. '[Constitution Hill] is the most laid-back person you'll ever come across, and the other one is a complete fuss-pot and can't stand still for two minutes,' Henderson said. 'The other horse [Constitution Hill] would stand still for two days, I could tie him up to a telegraph pole and come back and get him in the morning and he'd be fine.' Constitution Hill, who remains unbeaten after 10 starts over hurdles, has raced just four times since winning the Champion Hurdle in 2023, and spent a year on the sidelines between his two wins in the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton in December 2023 and 2024. But he appeared to be back to something close to his best on Boxing Day last year and followed up in comfortable fashion – bar an unexpected mistake at the last – in the International Hurdle at Cheltenham last month. 'Funnily enough, from my point of view, I hated Cheltenham the other day,' Henderson says. 'It absolutely killed me, because I think we went into Kempton with half a mind that he could easily get beaten, and if he did, we felt we'll be alright in March… [but] Cheltenham was something else. That day absolutely did me in because it was sort of a no-win situation, wasn't it? 'His work is the same [as it was before his latest start]. I suspect Nico [de Boinville, his big-race jockey] will have a sit on him this week just to see where he is and how he feels but I suppose he'd better jump a hurdle at some stage. You hardly want to go in [to the Champion Hurdle] with the last hurdle he jumped being that one.' Next month's Champion Hurdle promises to be one of deepest and strongest for many years, with State Man, last year's winner, and the high-class mares Brighterdaysahead and Lossiemouth – the runner-up in the Christmas Hurdle – all seemingly being aimed at the race. 'You're certainly going to get pace,' Henderson said. 'It's what she [Brighterdaysahead] has always done [but] the one good thing is that he can travel off any pace. The pace that Lossiemouth found difficult at Kempton was no worry to him, he can travel at a very high speed.' There was a hint of reception that Henderson, De Boinville and Constitution Hill can expect if he retains his unbeaten record next month after his latest success at short odds in January. Market Rasen: 1.50 Wallquatari 2.20 Bluey 2.50 Groom De Cotte 3.20 Miss Cynthia 3.52 Geordie Night 4.27 Onesoc 5.02 Forward Thinking. Taunton: 2.05 Ask Me Another 2.35 Zaochen Enki 3.05 Catch On Me 3.35 Camulus 4.10 Aurigny Mill 4.45 Shearer. Wolverhampton: 4.20 Enola Holmes 4.55 Sarafina Mshairi 5.30 Kaleidoscope Eyes 6.00 Addosh 6.30 Daaris 7.00 Sweet Fantastic (nap) 7.30 Coconut Bay 8.00 Mariner 8.30 High Court Judge (nb). 'The last time I saw that sort of crowd [for a Cheltenham winner] was in Sprinter Sacre's day,' Henderson said. 'It's a very special thing. People do love these horses and it shows that a 'boring' five-horse race with a 1-12 shot, to some people it's a tragedy but for most people it was something fantastic. 'It means a lot to us that people love him. We just look after him, we're the curator of something that is a bit special and so's the other fella [Jonbon], and it's just great that people do like them.'
