The general conception of horse racing is that it is a male-dominated sport. However, Irish jockey Rachael Blackmore is proving that female jockeys can have just as much success as their male counterparts.
Last season was an incredible campaign for Blackmore, and it helped her become a household name. She was the leading jockey at the Cheltenham Festival (six winners). Just a month later, she became the first woman rider to win the Grand National at Aintree onboard Minella Times.
More big race success could follow in the 2021/22 campaign for the talented jockey. She is likely to ride A Plus Tard in the Cheltenham Gold Cup, the most prestigious race in National Hunt racing. The horse has Cheltenham Gold Cup 2021 odds of 7/2, which makes him the favourite with the bookmakers.
If Blackmore does confirm she will partner with the recent Betfair Chase winner, A Plus Tard will be one of the leading tips for Cheltenham as it will be an enormous boost towards the horse’s chances. He blew his rivals away at Haydock earlier this season in what was one of the best performances in the division so far in the campaign.
The Cheltenham Festival and Grand National are two huge events that are not only covered on terrestrial television, but they also often pick up the front and back pages in the national newspapers. Blackmore’s profile has been boosted as a result of what she has achieved at the meetings.
More Brands Likely to Sign Blackmore
Based on what she has achieved against the odds, Blackmore is an attractive ambassador that a lot of brands will be looking to sign up in the near future.
Blackmore has featured in several documentaries which have told the story of how she got into horse racing. They have also explored the success she has had and what the future holds for the woman who has ambitions of becoming the Champion Jockey one day in her sport.
Audi Naas are one of the brands to have already signed Blackmore up. They did a deal with the Irish woman in October 2021 to become their Performance Ambassador. The Grand National winner is also the Estate Ambassador for the five-star Lyrath Estate in Ireland.
Recent Success During Awards Ceremonies
Blackmore was rewarded for her success in 2021 at several end of the year award ceremonies. In Ireland, she was named the RTE Sportsperson of the Year. She was the first jockey to lift that trophy since Tony McCoy in 2013.
They also recognised the Irishwoman at the BBC Sports Personality of the Year ceremony. She won the BBC World Sports Star of the Year. Blackmore was on the shortlist alongside Tom Brady, Novak Djokovic, Max Verstappen and Canelo Alvarez, but received the most votes.
If Blackmore has a similar year in 2022 to what she has achieved over the last 12 months, expect to see her break other records in her sport and land more sponsorship deals.
