Rachael Blackmore amongst jockeys given ban after rule break at Cheltenham Festival

Rachael Blackmore was among three jockeys who were handed suspensions by the British Horseracing Authority after breaching the rules at this year’s Cheltenham Festival

Rachael Blackmore will still be permitted to participate in the Grand National despite being handed a whip ban at the Cheltenham Festival.

The esteemed jockey maintained her remarkable record by clinching two victories at the recent four-day jumps event. It took her total number of racing wins at Cheltenham to 18, second only to Paul Townend among active jockeys.

The 35-year-old made history as the first woman to win the Grand National on Minella Times in 2021. Her impressive achievements at the Cheltenham Festival include winning the Cheltenham Gold Cup, Queen Mother Champion Chase, Champion Hurdle (twice) and the Ryanair Chase (twice).

She completed the full set of open championship races at the Festival when she guided Bob Olinger to victory in the Stayers’ Hurdle last Thursday. However, The Irish Mirror reported she was referred to the British Horseracing Authority’s whip ceferral Committee for exceeding the whip strike limit in the Ultima Handicap Chase.

While riding The Short Go, who finished fifth in that race, she was found to have used her whip once more than the permitted seven strikes from jumping the second-to-last fence. The panel took into account the fact Blackmore has had more than 75 rides in Great Britain since her last whip breach, so a mitigation on penalty was therefore applied.

However, because the breach occurred in a Class 1 race, the penalty for exceeding the permitted level was doubled. She was given a six-day suspension from Friday 28 March to Wednesday 02 April 2025, inclusive.

Luckily, the Grand National festival kicks off on April 3, the day after her suspension expires. She also received a one-day ban for misconduct at the start of the meeting.

Blackmore was one of three jockeys penalised for violating whip rules on the meeting’s opening day. Sean Flanagan, who finished second on William Munny in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, was found guilty of misusing his whip and handed a four-day suspension (March 28 to 31).

Tom Harney was slapped with a 12-day suspension (March 28 to April 8) after exceeding the whip limit by one on Slurricane, who finished fifth in the Fred Winter Hurdle. He was also found to have used his whip without giving his horse time to respond after clearing the last hurdle.