Rachael Blackmore Announces Retirement from Racing
In a heartfelt social media post, Rachael Blackmore revealed that she is retiring from racing, stating that her “days of being a jockey have come to an end”. The trailblazing jockey, who has 18 Cheltenham Festival winners and a Grand National crown to her name, has decided to bring the curtain down on a stellar career.
According to Sky Sports, Blackmore’s final ride was a winner aboard Ma Belle Etoile at Cork on Saturday. In her statement, she expressed her gratitude for the incredible experiences she has had throughout her career, saying: “I feel the time is right. I’m sad but I’m also incredibly grateful for what my life has been for the past 16 years. I just feel so lucky, to have been legged up on the horses I have, and to have experienced success I never even dreamt could be possible.”
Blackmore also took the opportunity to thank those who have supported her throughout her career, including her parents, trainers, and sponsors. She specifically mentioned Aidan Kennedy, who gave her her first ride in a point-to-point, and Shark Hanlon, who helped her become Champion Conditional. She also expressed her gratitude to Henry de Bromhead, who she credits with bringing out the best in her, saying: “He’s a phenomenal trainer, who brought out the best in me. Without Henry, my story is very different.”
One of Blackmore’s most notable achievements was winning the 2021 Grand National aboard Minella Times at Aintree, becoming the first female jockey to win the race. She also guided A Plus Tard to the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 2022, and was appointed an Honorary Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2023 Special Honours for services to sport.
As reported by Sky Sports, Blackmore’s career has been marked by numerous highlights, including riding her first winner as a professional aboard Most Honourable at Clonmel on September 3, 2015. She also became the first female to win the conditional riders’ championship in Ireland in 2017.
Blackmore’s success has been largely attributed to her partnership with trainer Henry de Bromhead, who has trained many of her most notable winners, including Honeysuckle, A Plus Tard, and Minella Indo. She reflected on the impact that de Bromhead has had on her career, saying: “A conversation between Eddie O’Leary and Henry de Bromhead in a taxi on the way to Aintree took my career to a whole new level. Eddie got me in the door at Knockeen, and what came next was unimaginable: Honeysuckle, A Plus Tard, Minella Indo, Captain Guinness, Bob Olinger, Minella Times, among many others.. all with one thing in common-Henry de Bromhead.”
In her statement, Blackmore also expressed her appreciation for the support of her sponsors, including Dornan, KPMG, and Volvo, as well as her agent Garry Cribbin and manager Rebecca Matthews. She concluded by saying: “It is daunting, not being able to say that I am a jockey anymore… who even am I now! But I feel so incredibly lucky to have had the career I’ve had. To have been in the right place at the right time with the right people, and to have gotten on the right horses – because it doesn’t matter how good you are without them. They have given me the best days of my life and to them I am most grateful.”
The news of Blackmore’s retirement has sent shockwaves through the racing community, with many of her peers and supporters taking to social media to pay tribute to her incredible career. As Sky Sports continues to provide updates on this developing story, one thing is clear: Rachael Blackmore will be deeply missed in the racing world, but her legacy will live on for generations to come.
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