Latest news with #bookmakers
Telegraph
03-06-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
Best horse racing betting sites in the UK 2025
There is more choice than ever these days for horse racing fans – and punters in general – when it comes to selecting bookmakers, and pretty much all of them have fancy-looking sign-up offers, as well as promotions to retain existing customers. And it's not always as straightforward as one horse racing betting site simply being better than another. Rather it can depend on what you are looking for from your odds provider. That could be generous bonuses and promos, or something like Best Odds Guaranteed and strong ante-post options. So where do you even start? Well, we have gone over the fine print, analysed all the different options and come up with some fairly firm conclusions as to where and when you may want to choose certain firms. Top 10 best horse racing betting sites in the UK 1. bet365 Despite being founded only in 2000, bet365 has become one of the most familiar names in the industry and it takes top spot in our ranking for the best horse racing betting sites in the UK. In the online punting world, at least as far as horse racing is concerned, betting sites don't come any more complete than bet365, a must-have account for punters old and new with its vast array of gambling options. Horse racing betting site Trustpilot rating: 1.3/5 Our rating: ⭑⭑⭑⭑⭑ 5/5 Author's view 'Horse racing betting sites don't come more complete than bet365. It prices up early and highly competitively, has a range of markets, including some good place terms, and has Best Odds Guaranteed, as well as boosting the prices of horses. 'Indeed, it's always fascinating to check out its Super Boost, when it significantly enhances the odds of a horse, usually a high-profile name on the big-race days. 'Any clued-up punter will want a 365 account, as there's no shortage of potential value betting opportunities.' 2. William Hill Founded in 1934 and still with a high-street presence, William Hill is one of the most familiar names in the betting world and is more than keeping pace in an ever-changing punting landscape. Its website and app are well up to scratch for the new and modern bettors, as well as more seasoned punters, and it has so many options that this is a good answer for those who don't want to open accounts with multiple bookmakers. Horse racing betting site Trustpilot rating: 1.3/5 Our rating: ⭑⭑⭑⭑ 4/5 Author's view 'When it comes to horse racing betting sites, Hills is pushing for a dead heat with bet365 for top spot in our rankings – it was a struggle to find something to put in the 'disadvantages' column for both firms. 'There are a number of good promotions, not least Best Odds Guaranteed on all UK and Irish racing (once you've opted in). That doesn't kick in until 8am on race day, the same as with bet365, but I don't suppose we can have it all, and it does tend to price up nice and early, and often generously. 'William Hill has pretty much all the main racing markets, including a good range of ante-post and 'special' books.' 3. Betfair Betfair started out as a betting exchange and still leads the way in this area of the gambling world, but it also has a well-established sportsbook these days as well, giving punters options that other firms can't compete with. It operates under the Flutter banner. Horse racing betting site Trustpilot rating: 3.1/5 Our rating: ⭑⭑⭑ 4/5 Author's view 'So often the best value on horse racing and other sports is found on the Betfair exchange, where you also have the option to lay horses. 'The exchange is complemented by the fixed-odds sportsbook, which has a vast array of markets and plenty of attractive promos. 'Betfair is outranked by a couple of other bookies on account of other sportsbooks being more appealing. Its lack of Best Odds Guaranteed is disappointing. But Betfair SP goes some way to making up for this. This is placed on the exchange, where the odds are often inflated compared with traditional prices. 'All in all, the firm's dual-purpose package means any serious punter who's trying to get the best prices, and as many options as possible, needs this account in their arsenal.' 4. Sky Bet Horse racing betting site Trustpilot rating: 3.7/5 Our rating: ⭑⭑⭑ 3/5 Author's view 'Sky Bet could have a more straightforward Best Odds Guaranteed, but at least it's part of its offering, and it is a bookmaker worth being with, not least for its often generous extra places on horse racing markets. 'It is competitive with its pricing and has loads of markets to choose from.' 5. Coral Established by Joe Coral in 1926, this bookmaker is these days owned by Entain, like Ladbrokes. Both firms still have a strong high street presence and Coral also has a good online offering. Horse racing betting site Trustpilot rating: 1.2/5 Our rating: ⭑⭑⭑ 3/5 Author's view 'It's easy to forget about Coral if you're choosing from a few bookmakers. It is not as attention-grabbing as, say, Paddy Power, and you might not see the eye-catching odds of bet365. It doesn't help that it is on the side of the page on the Oddschecker grid. But this is a rock-solid firm that serves punters' requirements just fine. 'It deserves credit for its sign-up offer being more straightforward than is the case with many firms – bet £5 to get a £20 free bet – and the same goes for its Best Odds Guaranteed.' 6. Betfred Founded by Fred Done in 1967, Betfred is famous for its bonuses and is particularly useful for horse racing betting when it comes to certain multiple wagers. Betfred is sponsoring all five British Classics this year and is offering a £2m bonus for any horse completing the Triple Crown. Horse racing betting site Trustpilot rating: 3.2/5 Our rating: ⭑⭑⭑ 3/5 Author's view 'If you only had a Betfred account for its bonus offers, that would be a good enough reason. An additional 10 per cent on Lucky 15/Yankee, 20 per cent on Lucky 31/Canadian, and 25 per cent on Lucky 63/Heinz is hard to knock. 'But even without such promos, it is a good operator that provides plenty of appealing opportunities.' 7. Paddy Power Another bookmaker that sits under the Flutter Entertainment umbrella, Paddy Power, thanks in no small part to plenty of smart advertising over the years, is among the most familiar names in the gambling industry across the UK and Ireland. Horse racing betting site Trustpilot rating: 3.4/5 Our rating: ⭑⭑⭑ 3/5 Author's view 'While Paddy Power is one of the most familiar names in the gambling world, thanks in large to some inspired advertising, its horse-racing betting offering might not be quite as industry-leading as the commercial side. But there are certainly still plenty of reasons to have it in any bookmaking portfolio.' 8. BoyleSports BoyleSports might not be the biggest name on the gambling scene, but it's a well-established bookmaker, founded in 1982, and holds its own when it comes to its horse racing betting offering. Horse racing betting site Trustpilot rating: 2.8/5 Our rating: ⭑⭑⭑ 3/5 Author's view 'BoyleSports has plenty going for it, offering decent promotions like Best Odds Guaranteed and extra place races, as well as being competitive with its odds, making it a good option for any punter. 'Its 'Royal Run-Up' offer, where you can earn free bets for the upcoming big meeting at Ascot, is also worth checking out.' Unibet began in 1997 and is part of the Kindred Group, one of the world's biggest online betting companies. Horse racing betting site Trustpilot rating: 1.3/5 Our rating: ⭑⭑⭑ 3/5 Author's view 'A good sign-up offer and plenty more eye-catching bet types and promotions make Unibet a firm worth having in your horse racing betting site portfolio.' 10. BetVictor BetVictor was founded in 1948. It's an online bookmaker based in Gibraltar and these days is owned by Michael Tabor, one of the Coolmore partners. Horse racing betting site Trustpilot rating: 4.1/5 Our rating: ⭑⭑⭑ 3/5 Author's view 'There are a few firms ahead of BetVictor in our rankings, as it's a competitive marketplace, and this bookmaker just doesn't stand out in comparison with some. But it was still an effort to find any real negatives. You could do far worse than having an account with it.' Top-rated horse racing betting sites by Trustpilot reviews Trustpilot reviews give an insight into which bookmakers users hold in high regard. Bookmaker Trustpilot rating Total Trustpilot reviews 1. BetVictor 4.1 4,683 2. Sky Bet 3.7 3,389 3. Paddy Power 3.4 5,192 4. Betfred 3.2 8,823 5. Betfair 3.2 3,318 Reviews taken 3 June, 2025 If it's free bets you want, then look no further than our dedicated free bets page Best new horse racing betting sites for 2025 Here's our idea of the top three new gambling sites for horse racing in the UK right now. 1. CopyBet One of CopyBet's unique selling points is the ability to copy the bets of professional sport tipsters. The clue is in the name of the firm. And the Best Odds Guaranteed offer is as good as it gets. Horse racing betting site Trustpilot rating: 2.1/5 Our rating: ⭑⭑ 2/5 Author's view 'CopyBet is relatively new to the horse racing gambling world and it does not have the same array of betting options as other, more-established firms. 'But its Best Odds Guaranteed policy certainly catches the eye and is worth trying to take advantage of. The ability to follow the bets of professional tipsters – literally 'copy bet' – is also an interesting concept.' 2. BetMGM The BetMGM brand is a derivative of MGM Resorts, the renowned US hotel and casino operator, but the UK arm is run by LeoVegas. A unique blend of showmanship and creativity from the other side of the Pond, matched with domestic industry insight from LeoVegas, which has run multiple betting brands in the UK for years, makes BetMGM a force to be reckoned with. Horse racing betting site Trustpilot rating: 3.3/5 Our rating: ⭑⭑ 2/5 Author's view 'BetMGM may not be the best or most comprehensive of the betting sites when it comes to horse racing in particular, but it at least offers Best Odds Guaranteed, while its 10 per cent profit boosts are a decent promotion.' 3. talkSPORT BET Another media brand making a splash in UK betting is talkSPORT BET, run by a stalwart of domestic gambling in BetVictor. Its layout and offerings match those of BetVictor while the design easily grabs the attention. Horse racing betting site Trustpilot rating: 3.7/5 Our rating: ⭑⭑ 2/5 Author's view 'Whereas talkSPORT BET really stands out for football coverage, it's not the pick of the bunch for horse racing, but its offering does include some decent price boosts.' Advantages and disadvantages of choosing a UKGC-licensed horse racing betting site All our recommended horse racing sites are all licensed by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC), which is responsible for upholding the integrity of bookmakers, and as the table below illustrates there are a number of benefits to punters from sites having to comply with UKGC regulations. Some of the big UK and Ireland events and festivals covered by horse racing betting sites: Cheltenham Festival – The highlight of the National Hunt season for many fans of the sport, this four-day event in mid-March typically has bookmakers falling over themselves to entice customers to their sites. Play it clever and there are plenty of generous offers and value to be found. Grand National Festival – The most famous of all the jump races, even if modifications over the years mean it's not the test it once was, the Grand National is probably rivalled only by the Derby for the most well-known event in the horse racing calendar. As with the Cheltenham Festival, the bookies pull out all the stops to get punters' business over this three-day fixture – in particular the Grand National itself – held annually in April at Aintree. Punchestown Festival – The big season finale of the Irish jumps campaign, coming after Cheltenham and Aintree. Guineas Weekend – This features the first Classics of the British horse racing season, over the Rowley Mile at Newmarket in early May, with the 2,000 Guineas for the colts on the Saturday and the 1,000 Guineas for the fillies on the Sunday. Epsom Oaks and Derby – The Derby, a 1m 4f Group 1 Flat race for three-year-olds at Epsom, is the most prestigious of the five British Classics and run on the first Saturday in June. It is the middle leg of the UK Triple Crown, preceded by the 2,000 Guineas and followed by the St Leger. The Oaks, for the fillies, is typically run the day before the Derby. Royal Ascot – A five-day international festival of Flat racing in the middle of June features a number of top races. The Tuesday opens up with three Group 1s and some huge-field handicaps. The meeting is like the Cheltenham Festival, only faster and with no obstacles, and plenty of royal pageantry. Expect plenty more enticing bookie offers. Galway Festival and Glorious Goodwood – Horse racing fans are spoilt for choice when these two meetings clash during a week at the end of July and into August, with Galway hosting Flat and jumps races and all of Goodwood's races, including Group 1s, on the level. Both fixtures feature many competitive races on which bookmakers are likely to be offering generous place terms and boosted odds. York Ebor Festival – The Ebor Handicap, a valuable staying event, is the headline race of this four-day meeting held at York in August. But it is the 1m 2f Group 1 Juddmonte International that is the main event. Indeed, it was ranked as the world's best horse race by the handicappers for 2024. St Leger Festival – First run in 1776, the St Leger is the world's oldest Classic and the final leg of the UK Triple Crown. It is the feature race of this four-day meeting held at Doncaster in September. Betfred is sponsoring this festival – indeed, it is sponsoring all five British Classics this year – so look out for plenty of special offers and promotions from the bookie, which is offering a £2m bonus for any horse completing the Triple Crown. Champions Day at Ascot – The highlight of the close of the season at the Berkshire course in October, the card features five Group races. November Meeting at Cheltenham – A three-day fixture at Cheltenham in the middle of November, which always feels like the real start to the jumps season. The best horse racing betting sites rated by features Some betting sites are superior to others in certain aspects, so it can be crucial to find the right bookmaker depending on your requirements. Here are our best betting sites listed by specific features: If you've had a bet, you'll want to see how your horse runs – especially if considering following your selection again in future – and it has never been easier to watch races live on betting sites and apps. Most bookmakers show the action and the coverage doesn't come much more comprehensive than on bet365, where you can also watch free replays of any race on Racing TV or Sky Sports Racing. To watch all UK, Irish and French racing live on bet365, you must have a funded account or have placed a bet in the past 24 hours. This also applies to Australian, South African and US racing covered by Sky Sports Racing. It's important to be well informed when it comes to making your selections and many bookmakers offer detailed form analysis and ratings. William Hill makes the Racing Post horse-by-horse Spotlight guide and verdict easily accessible and likewise Racing Post Ratings. It can be wise to get a second opinion before placing your wagers. Bookies could have their own tipsters, but it's better to find an independent source, even if these are included on the betting site for convenience. Many bookmakers will carry either Racing Post or Timeform selections – you'll do well to find better coverage than those two can offer – but Coral goes a step further. As well as having detailed Racing Post write-ups and tips, it includes selections from a number of other national newspapers. Best mobile horse-racing betting app Dedicated mobile apps are the easiest way to access bookmakers and follow the action these days, so you don't have to miss a thing. William Hill's app is the most appealing option in a competitive market place for horse racing betting. Everything you need, from basic cards and odds to more detailed information and price boosts, as well as video previews and live races, is easily accessible on the William Hill app. Best horse racing betting site for safety It's vital to choose a safe and secure bookmaker, ideally one with good reviews and that is UKGC-licensed. BetVictor heads our list of safest online betting sites, with two-factor authentication as standard, and it scores an impressive 4.1 on Trustpilot from several thousand reviews. The best welcome offer for horse racing betting site It makes sense to seek out the best and most generous welcome offers when you're looking for new bookmakers. With so much competition in the market place, betting firms are offering increasingly appealing promotions for new customers. Betfred's offer, which can be activated by signing up and entering the BETFRED50 promo code, takes some beating. For a £10+ sports bet at evens (1/1) or above, you get 3x £10 in free sports bets as well as 2x £10 in acca free bets. The best horse racing betting sites for regular promotions For regular punters it makes sense to shop around and go with the bookmakers who offer good and regular promotions rather than those firms whose main focus is on new customer rewards. Below, we've picked out our favourites for various different promos. Best horse racing betting sites for Best Odds Guaranteed Best Odds Guaranteed is one of the most punter-friendly offers available on horse racing – you can take fixed odds safely in the knowledge that if the starting price is bigger, you'll be paid out accordingly. However, not all bookmakers have Best Odds Guaranteed, and with some of them there are certain restrictions or the offer doesn't kick in until later in the day. CopyBet stands out as having no time restrictions on its BOG offer, and otherwise 8am on race day is a fair deal, with the likes of bet365, Coral, Unibet and BoyleSports being some of the better firms for this promo. Best horse racing betting site for money-back deals Any concessions being offered by bookmakers should be carefully considered by punters when it comes to using betting accounts for horse racing – the more chances of getting your money back, at least, the better. One that stands out is BetVictor's money-back offer should your horse lose its chance at the start, as there are few things more frustrating for a punter than not even getting a run for your money. You can find the Best Casino Sites here Best horse racing betting site for extra-place promotions Another big potential edge for bettors is when a bookmaker offers place terms over and above the industry standard (1-4 runners win only; 5-7 runners 2 places; 8-15 runners 3 places; 16+ runner handicaps 4 places). As touched on, Sky Bet is one of the most generous firms around when it comes to offering extra places. Best horse racing betting sites for boosts There can be competition among bookmakers when it comes to offering the best odds and some firms like to go a step further by boosting the prices of horses so they are a significantly bigger price than is generally available elsewhere. Clearly, this is another potentially useful angle for punters. A couple of appealing boosts that come to mind straightaway are Betfred offering extra payouts on horse racing multiples, such as Lucky 15s, 31s and 63s, and bet365 being a particularly good bookmaker for offering price boosts. Best overall horse racing betting site for regular promotions It's a stingy bookie who does not offer any sort of promotion, so there are plenty of sites and offers to choose from. Ideally punters would have all they need under one roof. That's not always possible, so shopping around and comparing promos is advised. But bet365 is one of the best options for those who are content just to stay on one site. While 365 regularly inflates the odds of leading form contenders, with its price boosts, its Best Odds Guaranteed offer is among the best in the business as well. These are some of the best promotions around for punters. Take a look at the best Casino Bonuses here Comparing the best horse racing betting sites How to register with horse racing betting sites Once you have found a trustworthy UK bookmaker that you want to register with it's usually a fairly simple registration process. First you will want to check if the bookmaker has a welcome offer currently running from the long list above and ensure you are familiar with the terms and conditions. Now you will be ready to start the registration on the bookmaker's website or app. Here is our step-by-step guide: Just like with any online account, you will need to input some personal data, such as your name, address and contact details. It is important that this data is accurate and matches any official identity documentation you have. Sometimes you will be asked to provide an official identity document to prove you are who you say you are. This can also be requested further down the line or not at all – it varies from person to person and bookmaker to bookmaker. You will then be required to enter your payment details and make your first deposit. Make sure you have read which payment methods are accepted for new customer offers. At this point you may also be able to set up safer gambling restrictions for yourself, such as deposit limits. Place your first bet. This process may feel a bit intrusive and excessive in comparison with other transactions, but the process is similar for whatever bookmaker you choose and each step is essential to ensure gambling is done safely and legally. If your bookmaker is UK-licensed you should rest assured that your data is safe. How we review the best horse racing betting sites Here is how we independently and impartially evaluate gambling sites: Sourced by TMG The offers seen on this page are sourced by Telegraph Media Group members of staff. Hands-on experience These members of staff have years of sports and betting industry experience so they know where and when to look for the best offers, as well as being in the know when it comes to the best new betting sites. Regular updates A dedicated team checks offers daily as well as having regular contact with bookmakers to ensure offers are up to date and we are displaying the best offers on the market. Factors we consider when compiling the horse racing betting sites ratings Odds Welcome bonuses are, of course, welcome. Likewise more regular promotions. But ultimately you'll want the best available odds to give yourself the best chance of maximising any potential profits. Welcome bonus This is one of the best ways of finding value, albeit you'll only get one chance of taking a welcome offer with each individual bookmaker. Regular promotions for horse racing You don't want to stick with a firm that only offers an enticing welcome bonus, even if it's well worth taking in the first instance. The best bookmakers will provide regular promo options. Relevant features As well as the website and app having good usability, it's handy if a bookmaker shows live races and it's helpful if they have comprehensive racecards and form. Payment options There are a number of payment methods now available but they are not always consistent across bookmakers and some will be exempt from welcome offers, so it's important to read the terms and conditions. Customer service If you need to reach out to a bookmaker's customer service team, the quality of its response and availability will make a big difference when you are trying to deal with an issue. User-generated reviews By reading Trustpilot reviews we get a more rounded view of how well bookmakers are performing for users. However, it's important to take overall scores with a pinch of salt as often they can become a platform for users who have not fully read or understood the terms and conditions. UK Gambling Commission licence We only feature brands that are licensed by the UK Gambling Commission. This ensures that user safety is paramount as they are held to certain standards. Best horse racing betting sites FAQs Which of your recommended horse racing betting sites is the best? bet365 is top of our list of bookmakers with a five-star rating, but others such as William Hill, Betfair and Sky Bet are not far behind. Which is the best of the new horse racing betting sites? CopyBet gets our vote. Can you trust horse racing betting sites in the UK? If a bookmaker is licensed by the UK Gambling Commission, you are guaranteed that it upholds high standards to ensure the safety of its users. How many horse racing betting sites can I sign up with? You can bet with any number of bookmakers as long as you do so safely and within your means. Simply put, there is no restriction on the number of different bookmakers you can bet with. What horse racing betting sites have the best offers for new customers? Betfred's offer, which can be activated by signing up and entering the BETFRED50 promo code, takes some beating. For a £10+ sports bet at evens (1/1) or above, you get 3x £10 in free sports bets as well as 2x £10 in acca free bets. Others to check out include Sky Bet, bet365, the Betfair exchange and Unibet.
Irish Times
17-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Times
Malachy Clerkin: In Rachael Blackmore, horse racing had maybe its greatest ever asset
The hardest thing about writing about horse racing is writing about horse racing. To most people, one horse is no different to the next. They run in circles around big open fields, sometimes jumping over things and sometimes not, with little lads on their backs waving sticks. The commentator's voice rises through the race, and when it's over, there's a brief pause to talk about how rich the bookmakers got. Some of us love it. We're suckers for the thrill of a close one, for the mental calculations everyone's making as they jump the last, for the bottomless courage of the jockeys. Sometimes there's money down, sometimes there isn't. The race is run, the result is called, and a few minutes later, another one goes off somewhere else. Out in the world, though, horse racing leaves virtually no footprint. It is an incorrigibly niche sport, a small slice of a small slice of life. Stop 100 people in the street and ask them to tell you the difference between a hurdle and a fence. Between Leopardstown and Punchestown. Between Paul Townend and Jack Kennedy. Whatever number you think will give you three correct answers, you can probably halve it. So that's the battle. Here's this great sport, full of nuance and intrigue and derring-do and it's completely lost on vast swathes of the sporting public. If they think about it at all, they think in terms of gambling and, let's be honest, who wants to write about that world any more than they have to? Finding a way to make horse racing accessible and interesting to a broad audience is just a tough sell. READ MORE Rachael Blackmore was the first professional female jumps rider in Ireland for almost 30 years. Photograph:Into that world walked Rachael Blackmore a decade ago. A godsend. A jockey who didn't look like the rest of them. Who didn't sound like the rest of them. Who didn't have a famous family name. The first professional female jumps rider in Ireland for almost 30 years. She was a once-in-a-generation story, whether she liked it or not. Famously, she did not. Very much did not, in fact. The first time I interviewed her, we met at Griffith College – she was coming up to Dublin one night a week to do a business degree. This was November 2015, a couple of months after she had ridden her first winner as a pro. She was polite and careful and wary and, despite all her efforts to the contrary, completely fascinating. 'It won't be that big, will it?' she asked a few minutes into the chat. 'Just a small little thing? I don't want it too big. It's not that big a story. Just leave it as a little column at the side. Neat and tidy.' Rachael Blackmore's office was the weigh room and her co-workers were a rolling cast of a few dozen young men chasing the same dream. Photograph:Even then, you got the overwhelming sense of her discomfort in the spotlight. She was borderline aggressive in her modesty. She was no fool and she understood why you were interested. But when it came right down to it, she had four winners in a professional career that was eight months old at that point. No other jockey in the weigh room with those sort of numbers had the outside world asking after them. That was always part of her leeriness with the press. Her office was the weigh room and her co-workers were a rolling cast of a few dozen young men chasing the same dream. She had to face them every day in the hothouse of cut-throat sport. The only way she could feel comfortable was to rise through the ranks without getting special treatment from anyone. From the media most of all. My father-in-law was an avid racing man. He died in early 2019, at the ripe old age of 85. Right up to the end, he would happily pass most afternoons with his paper open at the racing page and a 10-cent yankee scribbled on a betting slip beside it, just for the interest. He had seen everyone come and go in the game for decades. Despite Rachael Blackmore's misgivings and protestations, she was something special. Photograph:It might have been 2017 or thereabouts when we were watching the racing one afternoon and a Blackmore horse beat one of his selections to the line. 'A good jock,' he said in defeat, which was always his seal of approval. If you got a 'good jock' out of Pat Doyle, then a good jock you were. A few years later, on the morning of the 2021 Grand National, my then six-year-old daughter was handed the newspaper and asked did she wanted to pick a horse for the big race later that day. 'Is Rachael Blackmore in this?' she asked. When told that she was, she looked through the card and found her name and we put €1 each way on Minella Times. Somewhere in there is the story of one of the greatest assets horse racing will ever have. Someone who, despite her misgivings and protestations, was actually special. Who offered a way into the sport that was common to everyone from primary school kids to pensioners. And who did it all in her own careful, self-contained way in civilian life before unleashing a ferocious competitor when the tapes went up. Rachael Blackmore on Allaho comes home to win the Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham. Photograph: Francesca Altoft/Inpho My favourite Blackmore ride wasn't the Grand National or the Gold Cup or all those gorgeous days on Honeysuckle. It was on Allaho in the 2021 Ryanair Chase, where she bucked out and made all the running from the front. She set such a relentless gallop that six horses in behind her had to be pulled up. That was one more than the previous four Ryanairs combined. The glorious swagger of that ride, the sheer unapologetic confidence Blackmore showed in dominating the race, was such a contrast to the person she presents to the world. To watch her express that side of her on the biggest stage and leave everyone in her dust was something genuinely moving to behold. Her retirement this week is a happy story, sad as the sport is to see her go. She got to call her own way out, unscathed and unbowed, in her own time and on her own terms. Nobody deserves it more.
