Rachael Blackmore

CHELTENHAM, UK -- "It's the Willie Mullins five as they come towards the last." Commentator Ian Bartlett issued a line to strike dread into the hearts of rival trainers. Mullins had picked up where he left off, with Ballyburn (Ire) (Flemensfirth) leading home his stable-mates Jimmy de Seuil (Fr), Ile Atlantique (Fr), Mercurey (Fr) and Predators Gold (Fr) in the G1 Gallagher Novices' Hurdle. The only other finisher, and one of two British-trained runners, was Ben Pauling's Handstands (Ire), tailed off, while Jingko Blue (Fr) continued a week of woe...

Peter Molony, racing manager to Kenny Alexander, says he cannot split the powerful owner's Jade De Grugy (Fr), Kargese (Fr) and previous Cheltenham Festival scorer Telmesomethinggirl (Ire) when it comes to picking the operation's best chance of a winner at Prestbury Park next week.  The Rathmore Stud boss also provided a passionate riposte to some of the criticism being levelled at the mares' races at the Cheltenham Festival by stating that their horse of a lifetime Honeysuckle (GB) may never have seen a racetrack had it not been for the...

Gerry McGrath, breeder of Champion Hurdler Jezki (Ire) (Milan {GB}) and high-class performers Jett (Ire) (Flemensfirth), Jered (Ire) (Presenting {GB}), Jetson (Ire) (Oscar {Ire}) and Jenari (Ire) (Milan {GB}) all out of the outstanding broodmare La Noire (Ire) (Phardante {Fr}), has outlined hopes that the legacy can continue with leading Dublin Racing Festival contender Jetara (Ire) (Walk In The Park {Ire}). A granddaughter of La Noire, the mare who was famously gifted to McGrath by his late father in the nineties, Jetara will take on the boys in the G1...

As 2023 draws to a close, the TDN is asking industry members to name their favorite moment of the year. Send yours to [email protected] I have been fortunate to experience many wonderful days racing, but NEVER I have EVER heard a crowd response like when the two Queens of National Hunt racing, HONEYSUCKLE and Rachael Blackmore, returned to the Cheltenham winner enclosure the after the Close Brothers Mares' Hurdle (The David Nicholson Mares' Hurdle) in March of this year. The place was packed 20 deep, it went wild, it was...

Jim Bolger and Davy Russell announced their star-studded teams for Hurling for Cancer Research, which takes place in Netwatch Cullen Park in Carlow Monday Aug. 21. Throw-in is at 6 p.m. The two teams will be led by Wexford and Kilkenny legends Liam Griffin and Brian Cody acting as Bainisteoirs. The bevy of racing, sports and TV stars already confirmed for the event include David and Paudie Clifford, Rachael Blackmore, Ursula Jacob, Paul McGrath, Miriam O'Callaghan, Michael Duignan, Kevin Manning, Willie McCreery, Barry Geraghty, Marty Morrissey and Joanne O'Riordan are...

History-making jockey Rachael Blackmore, who in 2021 became the first woman to ride the winner of the Grand National, has been made an honorary MBE for services to sport. After landing Aintree's famous race aboard Minella Times (Ire), Blackmore, 33, also won the following season's Cheltenham Gold Cup on A Plus Tard (Fr). The Irish jockey was crowned leading rider at the Cheltenham Festival in 2021, the same year she won the BBC Sports Personality's World Sport Star of the Year award. Notably, she forged a famous partnership with the...

If it was racing stars you were looking for, the Treo Eile Thoroughbred Classic was where you could find them, as Rachael Blackmore, Robbie Power, and Charlie Swan turned out to support the event last Thursday night at the Emerald Equestrian Centre in County Kildare.  Treo Eile was set up to connect, support and promote the retraining of thoroughbreds and legends of the racetrack Tiger Roll, Douvan and the recently retired dual Gold Cup hero Al Boum Photo were all strutting their stuff on the evening.  A celebrity show jumping...

   Peter Molony is best known for being the man who bought the reigning Champion Hurdler Honeysuckle (GB) (Sulamani {Ire}) on behalf of his client Kenny Alexander. He also works for Sheikh Fahad's Qatar Racing operation, is an agent for Goffs and has had a multitude of top horses through his hands at Rathmore Stud. That may be why the Limerick native signs off on his Twitter bio with the word 'busy'!    Son of the legendary Martin Molony, widely regarded as the best dual-purpose jockey of all time, Peter...

The only man in history to win the Champion Hurdle, Champion Chase, Gold Cup and Grand National in the same season, Henry de Bromhead is not content on tightening his grip on the major jumps races and is now taking aim at the Irish 1,000 Guineas with Star Girls Aalmal (Ire) (Elzaam {Aus}).  De Bromhead signed off on another memorable National Hunt season at Punchestown last month by sending out Honeysuckle (GB) (Sulamani {Ire}) to win her 12th Grade 1 and extend her unbeaten record to 16. As the Flat...

CHELTENHAM, UK--Emotions ran high at Cheltenham on Friday as Rachael Blackmore, the most successful female National Hunt jockey of all time, continued to rewrite the history books, this time by becoming the first woman to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup. Her willing and sublimely talented partner was A Plus Tard (Fr) (Kapgarde {Fr}), who was runner-up to his stable-mate Minella Indo (Ire) (Beat Hollow {GB}) last year but turned the tables in emphatic fashion this time around. Tackling the defending champion for the lead over the final fence, the 8-year-old...

CHELTENHAM, UK--There are horses, and then there's Honeysuckle (GB). Thought it may seem like sacrilege to compare the superstar hurdler to the greatest racehorse of the modern era, there has been no better winning sequence on the turf since Frankel (GB) stepped off it to the breeding shed a decade ago, and Honeysuckle isn't stopping yet. The daughter of Sulamani (Ire) is now a dual Champion Hurdle winner, a treble Irish Champion Hurdle winner, unbeaten in 15 starts under rules, plus her debut triumph in a point-to-point at Dromahane at...

Jumps jockey Rachael Blackmore has been nominated in the World Sport Star category at the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Awards. Blackmore will be competing against tennis superstar Novak Djokovic and American football quarterback Tom Brady, boxer Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez, Formula One star Max Verstappen and Jamaican sprinter Elaine Thompson-Herah. The first woman to win the Cheltenham Champion Jockey title on the back of six wins during the festival including Honeysuckle (GB) (Sulamani {Ire})'s G1 Champion Hurdle victory, Blackmore also was the first female jockey to win the G3...