EXCLUSIVE: Super jockey Rachael Blackmore said her wedding day was ‘brilliant’ but it was ‘bottom of the pile’ compared to romping home to win the Grand National
Rachael Blackmore said becoming the first woman to win the Grand National was ‘the most special day ever’ – way better than getting married.
The racing trailblazer tied the knot with fellow jockey Brian Hayes in front of family and friends at an intimate ceremony in Ireland in January.
Though she said her wedding day was ‘brilliant’, it was ‘bottom of the pile’ compared to the thrill of making history by winning the world’s most famous horse race in front of a TV audience of 600 million across 170 countries.
Rachael, 36, said as an 11-year-old she used to ride her pony around the garden leaping over piles of grass dreaming she was racing to victory at Aintree.
As she crossed the finishing line first for real on Minella Times in 2021 she felt so much ‘sheer elation’ she thought she was ‘going to burst’.
The jockey, who is also the only woman to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup, retired last year and is expecting a baby shortly after this year’s Grand National on Saturday.
In an exclusive interview with the Daily Star, Rachael – now the official face of Ladies’ Day – said she hopes her legacy will be to inspire a future generation of female jockeys to follow her lead to the Grand National winners’ enclosure.
She said of the major events in her life so far – winning two of the world’s biggest horse races and walking up the aisle – winning the National was ‘on a different planet’.
“Getting married is solid bottom of the list,” she said.
“Don’t tell Brian! Actually I don’t think he’d care. Getting married is brilliant but nothing can compare to winning.
“If you gave him the choice ‘you can marry Rachael in January or you can win the Gold Cup in March’ I know what one he’d choose. Getting married is bottom of the pile.
“The Grand National – it’s just very hard to get away from it. That was an incredible day.
“It’s the history. It’s the first race you watch as a kid. It’s the first race that sparked my interest in racing. I went out on my pony and it was the Grand National I was thinking about. It just is that race. It has that special angle to it.
“The year I won it was unbelievable. It was the Covid year so it was behind closed doors so unfortunately the crowd wasn’t there.
“But to me it was just the most special day ever because everyone that was there – it’s like they went to an extra effort to clap and to say ‘well done’.
“That feeling crossing the line was one of the most amazing feelings I’ve ever experienced in my life of just sheer elation straight away.
“In Cheltenham Honeysuckle wins the Champion Hurdle. She’s favourite. You cross the line – it’s relief. I’ve delivered. It’s so different in the National because you go out hoping and thinking and dreaming.
“But you never actually think it could happen. And then it does.
“Everyone is kind of aware of how much luck you need.
“I don’t remember thinking ‘race tactics’. It’s more survival. Get your horse into a rhythm, conserve as much energy as you can.
“You need a lot of things to align for you. Then when you cross the line and it’s actually happened – oh my God!
“I felt like I was going to burst or something. It was just an incredible incredible feeling.”
Modest Rachael, who won the Gold Cup on A Plus Tard the year after her Grand National triumph, said she still cannot believe she is one of the few jockeys who can choose if she preferred winning at Cheltenham or Aintree.
“It’s so weird,” she said.
“I’m someone who gets to decide ‘which did you find better winning the Grand National or the Gold Cup’. I still find that funny.
“It’s incredible to be one of those jockeys that can be asked that question.
“Winning the Grand National it was such an incredible testament to all those women who went before me.
“It’s not that long ago that women weren’t allowed to even ride in the race.”
When she dramatically hung up her racing boots last May she had notched up 575 winners – including 18 at Cheltenham where she was also the first woman to be the festival’s leading jockey with six victories in 2021.
Though there are a number of talented female riders in racing so far no has looked close to climbed into her superstar saddle.
But Rachael believes it is only a matter of time once the legions of schoolgirls who ask her for selfies and autographs are old enough.
“Has there has been enough of an effect on female riders following my success? I think it’s going to take a little bit more time to kind of really feel that,” she said.
“People are inspired by what other people achieve. I was inspired by other jockeys and other athletes in general so that has a knock on effect.
“But I think it could have an impact for those children maybe 10, 11, 12. They’re not there yet.
“I think that all could just take a little bit longer. I don’t think it’s an instant overnight thing. I think it could take a bit more time.
“But I’d love it happen.”