Rachael Blackmore added another historic chapter to her racing career at the recent Cheltenham Festival, becoming the first female rider to win the prestigious Gold Cup at the iconic Prestbury Park meeting. The blue riband event seemed to be the only thing that eluded the Irish sensation last year, as she set the 2021 Festival alight with some six-winning rides before smashing through the glass ceiling again at Aintree.
With the form that trainer Henry de Bromhead and Blackmore showed over the course of those amazing four days in the Cotswolds last March, there was a sense of inevitability amongst punters that the dynamic duo would send records tumbling once again in the age-old Grand National — taking full advantage of Blackmore’s mount’s generous 12/1 price in the horse racing betting odds.
Of course, the horse in question was JP McManus-owned Minella Times, who gifted the Irish businessman his second victory in the National after the great Sir Anthony McCoy broke his duck with Don’t Push It back in 2010 — only further extending McManus’ record as the most successful owner in jump racing.
The green and gold silks of the former Manchester United owner have become synonymous with National Hunt racing over the decades. However, it was not the De Bromhead-trained, Blackmore-ridden Minella Times that the bookmakers had down as McManus’ favourite.
No, the accolade of market leader fell to Any Second Now, who set off at 15/2 with Mark Walsh in the saddle, but faring no better than third as De Bromhead secured another rare 1-2 in a big race with 100/1 shot Balko Des Flos finishing over six lengths behind Minella Times in second.
It was a faultless ride. Of course, it was. This is a jockey who was riding the crest of a wave, and after being narrowly beaten by Minella Indo while in the saddle of A Plus Tard in the Cheltenham Gold Cup just a few weeks earlier, she was not going to let the chance of becoming the first women to win the Grand National elude her as well.
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Travelling nicely in midfield for much of the race, Blackmore started asking more of Minella Times four fences from home — disputing second with Burrows Saint and quickly closing the gap on Jett, who was running out of steam after going well clear of the rest of the pack after the 16th.
The then eight-year-old soon led on the turn for home and Blackmore never looked back, jumping the last couple of fences brilliantly to open up a gap from Any Second Now and Balko Des Flos before storming around the elbow and breezing up the home straight to land a truly historic victory in the National.
"I just cannot believe it," the Irish rider said afterwards. "He gave me an absolutely sensational spin. I'm so lucky to be riding him and I can't believe we've just won the Grand National. I don't feel male or female right now. I don't even feel human. This is just unbelievable."
Just like the prior renewal of the Cheltenham Festival, it was a race dominated by the Irish. With Minella Times and Balko Des Flos originating from De Bromhead’s Knockeen yard, while Ted Walsh-trained Any Second Now, Willie Mullins’ Burrows Saint and Denise Foster-trained Farclas made up the remainder of the front five.