Irish jockey Rachael Blackmore has made history once again, becoming the first female jockey to win the prestigious Cheltenham Gold Cup when she romped home on A Plus Tard on Friday afternoon.
Blackmore, who last year became the first female jockey to become champion jockey at Cheltenham and the first female jockey to win the English Grand National at Aintree, said she felt "so lucky to be getting to ride all these kind of horses" and paid tribute to trainer Henry De Bromhead.
"You can’t do this without the horses and being attached to Henry’s yard is just absolutely phenomenal. To give me this horse is unbelievable I don’t know what to say," Blackmore said following her sensational victory on Friday.
"I’ve had so many special days. I wouldn’t swap the Grand National for anything but this is the Gold Cup. I wish I had something better to say right now. I just can’t."
De Bromhead completed a second successive one-two at the Cheltenham Gold Cup after last year's winner Minella Indo finished in second place.
Last year, Minella Indo stormed to victory in the standout race of the Cheltenham Festival, with A Plus Tard finishing in second.
The Irish horse trainer praised Blackmore for her bravery during Friday's Gold Cup.
"Rachael was brilliant on him. Rachael was so brave, the way she went about it, it was brilliant. She was really brave. I’ve kind of got to that stage that if it’s going to happen, it’s going to happen," De Bromhead said.
Blackmore was awarded the RTÉ Sports Personality of the Year Award after a sensational year in 2021 which included six wins at the Cheltenham Festival, including a historic win in the prestigious Champion Hurdle.
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