Rachel Retires...

Some lass

Yes just heard it on bbc news she can be hugely proud of what she achieved and of her personality.

well said Jimnast. A great shock. I do hope there is nothing medical about it. Seems very young to be getting out. The very best of luck to her.

A lot of sportsmen/women struggle with getting out at the right time, either quitting in haste or soldiering on when a light of former days, but this appears perfect timing.

She's won most of the big races and has nothing left to prove.

Good luck to her.

She says the time is right Donegal

Hope your well

Motherhood calling her ?

All the best for the future Rach

Do you know anything about this 'acey'? I understand she's been riding lesser and lesser for de Bromhead lately.

glad to hear that Jimnast. All well here save for a total absence of winners since the start of Cheltenham. Never had a run like it in 55 years. Off to York on Wednesday so hopefully that may change my luck..all the best.

May 12, 2025 -- 5:26PM, impossible123 wrote:

Do you know anything about this 'acey'? I understand she's been riding lesser and lesser for de Bromhead lately.

Good horse that lesser and lesser

Big surprise to me, she was as any male jockey i will miss her but the good news is she gets to walk away in one piece.

As good as even.

Fallout with Henry?

In foal acey, paddock beckons.

Is that right Glen i never knew.

Dang, there I was thinking it was Rachel from accounts.

Enjoy York Donegal the weather looks superb

Just a guess tbh acey but if she is planning a family the timing seems about right, nothing left to prove either.

In a statement she said: "My days of being a jockey have come to an end".


“I feel the time is right. I’m sad but I’m also incredibly grateful for what my life has been for the past 16 years. I just feel so lucky, to have been legged up on the horses I have, and to have experienced success I never even dreamt could be possible.”

“The people to thank are endless, it’s not possible to mention everyone (as I don’t want this to be another book) but I’m going to get a few names in here anyway and to everyone else, you know who you are, as they say.

“Firstly, my parents who provided me with the best childhood, and a pony I couldn’t hold! This set the seed for a life of racing. Aidan Kennedy gave me my first ride in a point-to-point. I spent time riding out for Arthur Moore and Pat Doyle which I loved. Sam Curling and Liam Lennon were also big supporters as was Denise O’ Shea, John Nicholson, Ellmarie Holden, Harry Smyth and Gigginstown House Stud.

“I rode my first winner for Shark Hanlon, who then helped me become champion conditional. I will be forever grateful to Shark for getting behind me, supporting me and believing in me when it would have been just as easy to look elsewhere. He was the catalyst for what was to come.

“A conversation between Eddie O’Leary and Henry de Bromhead in a taxi on the way to Aintree took my career to a whole new level. Eddie got me in the door at Knockeen, and what came next was unimaginable: Honeysuckle, A Plus Tard, Minella Indo, Captain Guinness, Bob Olinger, Minella Times, among many others… all with one thing in common – Henry de Bromhead.

“He’s a phenomenal trainer, who brought out the best in me. Without Henry, my story is very different.


“To my sponsors over the years. Dornan, KPMG, Volvo, Betfair, PCI Insurance, thank you for your support. To Garry Cribbin, who looked after me as my agent since day one with professionalism and friendship. To Rebecca Matthews who managed (and hopefully will continue to manage!) the non-horse related requests. To Willie Mullins who provided me with success throughout my career.

“To all the team in Knockeen who do such incredible work looking after all the horses, without you and all the stable staff across the country, winners don’t happen. To Davy Roche, whose help was invaluable when I was privileged enough to have a choice in a race.

“To all the amazing doctors, surgeons and physios who looked after me over the years. To all the wonderful owners who trusted me and gave me the opportunity to do what I love doing. To everyone I shared the weigh room with, I’ll miss being in there with you.

“To all my great friends – you made winning special. Brian Hayes won’t enjoy getting a mention, but he was more important to my career than I’ll ever be able to thank him for.

“It is daunting, not being able to say that I am a jockey anymore… who even am I now! But I feel so incredibly lucky to have had the career I’ve had. To have been in the right place at the right time with the right people, and to have gotten on the right horses – because it doesn’t matter how good you are without them. They have given me the best days of my life and to them I am most grateful.”


We salute her, wonderful memories and Happy Retirement.

Yes thanks for posting....Seems strange she is going out now she is still at the height of her career.

Rachael Blackmore CV
Born Co. Tipperary, July 11, 1989

Parents Charles Blackmore (Tipperary farmer) & Eimir Blackmore (schoolteacher)

Educated University of Limerick (degree in equine science)

Apprenticeship amateur rider with Shark Hanlon

First winner under rules Stowaway Pearl (trainer Shark Hanlon) lady riders'; handicap hurdle, Thurles, February 10, 2011

First winner as professional Most Honourable, Clonmel, September 3, 2015

First Pattern winner Blow By Blow (2018 Michael Purcell Memorial Novice Hurdle)

First Cheltenham Festival winner A Plus Tard (2019 Close Brothers Novices' Handicap Chase)

First Grade 1 winner Minella Indo (2019 Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle)

Grand National winner Minella Times (2021)

Cheltenham Gold Cup winner A Plus Tard (2022)

Champion Hurdle winner Honeysuckle (2021, 2022)

Irish Champion Hurdle winner (Leopardstown) Honeysuckle (2020, 2021, 2022)

Punchestown Champion Hurdle winner Honeysuckle (2021, 2022)

Queen Mother Champion Chase winner Captain Guinness (2024)

Ryanair Chase winners Allaho (2021), Envoi Allen (2023)

Stayers' Hurdle winner Bob Olinger (2025)

Last winner Ma Belle Etoile, Cork, May 10, 2025

Highest-rated mount A Plus Tard (RPR 181 in 2022 Cheltenham Gold Cup)

Top jockey at Cheltenham Festival 2021 (6 wins)

Cheltenham Festival wins 18

Champion conditional jockey 2016-17

Runner-up in jump jockeys' championship 2018-19, 2020-21

Most wins in a season 100 in 2020-21 (Ireland 92, GB 8)

Total wins over jumps 564 (Ireland 527, GB 37) plus 12 on Flat

Sportswoman of the Year 2021 (Irish Times/Sport Ireland award)

Compiled by John Randall

I'll miss her, simply the best female jockey over the jumps ever, only 35 getting out at right time i think.
    Thanks for the unbelievable memories and enjoy whatever you do next.

Yes been an absolute pleasure to watch her ride and what a C.V.

As fearless a jockey I've seen prior to her recent injury which I'd guess pushed her towards her decision coupled with probably family aspirations.


She will be hugely missed and was peerless in the female NH pro department.

From her Wiki:

Personal life
As of April 2025, Blackmore is in a relationship with jockey Brian Hayes.

Rachael was one of the best jump jockeys of all time. She was tactically aware, a cool calm rider but could deliver a fine finish. She was brilliant at Cheltenham. But when you've had a serious neck injury I don't believe you can ever be totally confident again. I'm so glad she went out on her own terms leaving us with great memories.

very good jockey, had great successes and has managed to go out still getting big winners at the festivals
good luck to her in future career whatever that maybe

She was a great jockey, front rank and she had to be to break through all the biases and prejudices that existed against female jockeys, particularly over jumps, that existed when she set out as a pro a decade ago. Fair play to Henry de Bromhead for believing enough in her and giving her the chance at a time he himself was hungry and ambitious to train multiple big winners. I think it became so normal that we can easily take her achievements for granted and forget the scale of them. They were unprecedented and monumental and she made them look routine.

The scale of her achievement in a country where it is even harder for females to succeed than here in GB can be measured by looking at the 2024/5 Irish jumps list. The next professional I can find is Aileen O'Sullivan a conditional with just 2 winners. Jodie Townsend, an amateur is the most successful female rider in Ireland now that Rachael has retired. Despite all of the rhetoric about her having inspired girls in Ireland to take up the sport, where are they?

What a fabulous brand of professionalism she has created.  She is just fantastic and deserves all of the praise and plaudits expressed herein.
A class act.  You've punished your body long enough girl - go and do what you want to do.    Best wishes to you Rachel you've been a joy to watch.

Sageform, they are fair questions and I'm not sure i have the answer. It's still a very tough school, but one thing the numbers show is that in stables and racing academies, female representation is continuing to grow and, in some cases, can match or even exceed the males. Probably it will take another generation or two to see a real change in the gender balance at the top. Unless they have an existing connection to jumps, I'd say young girls coming into racing are more likely to concentrate on the flat and there are some very decent young female apprentices in ireland right now whom I'm sure would hold Rachael up as an inspiration. I really like the look of Nicola Burns, just hope she gets the luck and opportunities i think her talent deserves.

hard work at DE BROOMS  during the fallow months when the magic carrot,s are been  culitivated,and okeffee already getting more and more rides,
who needs enemies with friends like dunkley 10 mins after her retirement announcement dunkley tells word de broom horse breaks its maiden under okeffee after Blackmore  had ridden it the last twice,

How wonderfully put loyalhoncho

LoyalHoncho 13 May 25 10:23 

What a fabulous brand of professionalism she has created.

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was she showing her 'professionalism' that night at Kilbeggan when the vast majority of folk said she went a circuit early ?

she said it was nothing of the sort...

can't remember what the stewards did...

think it was a slap on the wrists tho.

Come on hibby other than Steve Cauthen can you tell me another jockey who never made a mistake?

1stp and Happy Hibby - the chuckle brothers right enough

couldnt even acknowledge her achievements - no its snipe snipe snipe

ffs imo etc.

jimnast...

i don't mind folk making mistakes...

what i don't like is folk making mistakes and not owning them...

which she did NOT do imv.

Fair enough hibby

May 13, 2025 -- 5:13PM, HappyHibby wrote:

jimnast...i don't mind folk making mistakes...what i don't like is folk making mistakes and not owning them...which she did NOT do imv.

There is ‘folk’ and there are women

She made two mistakes then in an otherwise stellar career.
I know what I'll be remembering about her.

We all retire.

Lorna Vincent never received the same recognition tbh….and she gave them all the platform….imv..