All language subtitles for Rachael.Blackmore.A.Grand.Year.2021.720p.WEBRip.x264.AAC-[YTS.MX].us25

(WOMAN) From the very start,

she definitely wanted to be
the best that she could be.

(MAN) Being a jump jockey
is a calculated risk.

(WOMAN 2) You have to keep on it
every day.

If you step back, there's
someone else to take your spot.

Whatever start you get in racing,

there's only one currency,
and that's winners.

(WOMAN 3) There was people who said,

"Maybe this isn't the right thing
for you to do."

(MAN 2) She just wasn't having
the success that she wanted.

She had to do something.

She has not got it easy.
She's worked for every bit of it.

(SPECTATORS CHEERING)

(COMMENTATOR) 'Across the line,
Rachael Blackmore.'

I'm quite glad that I was coming
to the end of my career

when Rachael was getting going.

'And a brilliant season continues
for Rachael Blackmore.'

I didn't realise I was creating
the monster that I created.

(COMMENTATOR 2)
'Rachael Blackmore wins.'

(COMMENTATOR 3) 'Blackmore
in the winner's enclosure again.'

'Rachael Blackmore...'
'History in the National.'

(CHEERING AND WHOOPING FADING)

(GENTLE INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC)

(BIRDS CHIRPING)

(HORSE SNORTING GENTLY)

(MAN) Rachael Blackmore has improved
year on year.

Horses respond to her.

To her communication
with the horse through the reins

and through the saddle.

She gets horses to get down
and gallop.

(FAINT SOUND OF SPECTATORS CHEERING)

(MAN 2) I know how difficult it is
to do what she's doing,

but she makes it look easy.

You're sitting at home, saying,
"I could do that."

But you can't.

For Rachael,
she had years of experience

before she ever got going.

The more practise you have,
I suppose, as a kid,

it all becomes muscle memory.

(SHOUTS)

Hyah!

(RACHAEL) I just had
a brilliant childhood.

First of all,
it's a very good lawnmower, right?

I'm sorry about that.

My Uncle Robin and my dad, Charles,
farmed together,

so there was dairy and sheep.

(COWS MOOING)

I was born here, and my father
farmed here before me.

His granddad farmed before him,
went on from there.

(MOOING)

I think his love of animals
extended to all of us.

So, I think we've five dogs
at home at the moment

so it's a little bit of a madhouse.

(BIRDS SINGING)

(WOMAN) I'm originally really
from Dublin.

My father retired, then he bought
a stud farm here in Tipperary.

The first Christmas we were here,

Charles and his friend
came to ask us out

because we were new to the area.

I was a little reluctant to go.

I said to my mum,
"I don't know these guys."

And she being from Cavan,
my mother's from Cavan,

said,
"You're living in the country now."

"That's the way things are done.
Get dressed, you're going out."

I suppose she was right,
cos I ended up married to Charles.

(CHARLES) Smile.
Smile.

This is the milking machine, in here,

where they store all the milk
that you put in your cornflakes.

Ladies and gentlemen,
sorry to interrupt Home And Away,

but I have an urgent message
to tell you.

(SLOW CRUNCHING)

Pet lambs were a big part
of my childhood.

I used to feed them before school.

She had a lamb called Joey.

She decided she'd like Joey
to come to her Holy Communion,

so Charles made
a little halter for him.

We couldn't put anything
around his neck,

so we had a little dog harness

so she could control the lamb
to some extent, like, so...

And he attended the Communion.

(COWS MOOING)

My home place is two miles
up the road from Coolmore Stud,

so it's very much
an equine part of the country.

(EIMIR) She was on a horse first
about two or three.

You know, just sitting up.
Very, very keen.

My granddad was getting onto my dad
to get my brother a pony,

so my brother got a pony.

Jonathan had the pony first.

(MAN) Bubbles was
this little pocket rocket.

She jumped incredibly well,
and gave us such confidence.

We had this pony, Bubbles,
who loved to go fast,

so she started riding on her.

The pony was fantastic
and probably didn't have brakes,

which is, kind of,
a bit of a drawback,

but she absolutely adored him.

If they could survive Bubbles,
they can survive anything.

(CHARLOTTE) We had this one field
at home

that has a sloping hill going up,

so we'd always
race the ponies up that hill

to exercise them and stuff,
but it'd be a bit of a race as well.

They were very competitive.
If Jonathan jumped a drain,

Rachael says, "I can do that."

(JONNY) Definitely eager,
definitely competitive.

Rachael didn't have
a lot of patience then.

You're both cute.

(MAN) Bite her. Come on. Rachael?
What?

Yeah, typical kind of brothers
and sisters fights and all that.

(SPECTATORS CHEERING)

(INDISTINCT COMMENTARY)

(CHILD) Go!
'And they're away.'

(WOMAN) Come on, Rachy!

Well done.
Come on, Rachael!

We all did pony club.

It was our social life,
I'd say, as well.

Good girl!

(MAN LAUGHS)

(SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY)

(EXCITED CHATTER)

I never strayed into racing.

That's Rachael's court.

As a child,
I rode in a local pony race,

so maybe it was
an inner feeling from me

to maybe get back to doing that.

(RACHAEL) I think it was about 14.

You're getting to ride
in an actual race, like, A to B,

whoever gets there the quickest wins.

Such a simple task,

but just really cool
to be in an actual race.

We ended up in Kerry.

It was probably our second
or third time at a pony race.

I had to get someone I knew

to make sure that the racing saddle
was on correctly,

cos I wasn't used
to a racing saddle.

We were very much the outsiders

coming into the pony racing
on the day.

All these lads
were all competing every week.

They're their own community.

We were these blow-ins
who came down.

It was a stubbled field,
it was a stormy day,

and the field was really soft.

(COMMENTATOR)
'Extending the advantage now,

going on by a couple of lengths
there as he turns in.'

I just remember going along
and being like, "It's so windy."

'But it's Grey Dancer and Tommy,
coming up on the outside.'

'Grey Dancer,
Tommy coming fast on the inside,

neck and neck
as they race up to the finish.'

'Grey Dancer on the nearside,
Tommy on the far side.'

'They're neck and neck.
It's a desperately close thing.'

'Tommy on the far side,
Grey Dancer on the nearside.'

So, as we await the winner
of the second event here,

it's been a real upset.

Tommy's the name of the horse,
Rachael Blackmore is the jockey.

I jumped off the pony

before you got to the winning marker
in the parade ring.

They realised then we genuinely
hadn't a clue what we were doing.

They have to come to the winner's,
number one's spot.

They're down here.

They obviously don't understand
about where one, two, three goes.

There's the winner, Tommy,
a smiling Rachael Blackmore.

We'll talk to her in a moment
as she goes around here.

Where's Rachael Blackmore from?

From Killenaule, in South Tipperary.

Great hurling country.
Yeah, great hurling country.

Good horsey country as well.
It's only her second time out.

Yeah?
Thrilled.

Did you expect this win?
Not at all!

People who were involved
in pony racing

thought it rather strange,
I would imagine,

that this youngster
was coming from Tipperary

and suddenly winning a race,
er, on a games pony.

Talk us through that race, dear,
now.

Oh, it was brilliant. He just...

He had so much left in him
at the end.

He just... He went really well.
I couldn't believe it.

Is this your first win?
Yeah.

I got a really nice trophy.
It's one of my nicer ones I have.

I remember having it on my lap
the whole way home,

and I kept looking at it.

I was just so excited to have won
this, you know what I mean?

Like, we won, like.

(CHARLOTTE) Rachael was always
very sporty.

Whatever she seemed to try her hand
at she was good at.

Which is very annoying
when you're her younger sister.

(INDISTINCT COMMENTARY)

I loved anything to do with ponies.

In my teenage years,
I did a good bit of eventing.

That definitely taught me
a lot more about jumping.

So, I finished school,
went to study Science in UCD.

I was never overly academic.

My sister got all the brains
in the family.

A hundred percent, yeah.

I kept failing Maths,
went down to Limerick to UL

to study Equine Science
where there was no Maths.

I knew she was going to work
with horses. That was a given.

The love that I had for racing,

and for riding out
and being part of all that

was a lot stronger than
trying to pass my exams, probably.

(INDISTINCT COMMENTARY)

I rode ponies at the weekends.

You might only have one or two rides.

I needed all the experience
I could get.

(CHARLES) I used to love going
to point-to-points.

I'd go down to the fences
to watch them and all the rest,

but when she started riding,
I stayed away from the fences.

(INDISTINCT COMMENTARY)

(HORSE WHINNIES)

(MAN) We had point-to-pointers,
30 horses at times.

We always gave younger jockeys
a chance.

(RACHAEL) Would have always looked up
the entries for ladies races

and ring trainers.

Chancing your arm, you have to do it.

You get a lot of rejection.

You might ring a few and then
get deterred, or get, you know...

So you might stop,
and try again next week.

I used to try and get
all the words out in one go.

"Hi. I'm Rachael Blackmore.
I'm wondering if you're fixed up

for such and such a race
on such and such a day."

So you try and get
all the information out,

and see what they come back with.

I was looking for someone

to ride a horse
called Stowaway Pearl in Thurles.

I knew this horse in the race
was going spare, as they say,

so I took out the phone, rang Shark,

and Shark said, "No, I'm actually
grand, thanks. I'm fixed up."

I remember ringing the yard
and Shark saying to me

he won't bother
running that horse in Thurles

because he can't get anyone good
to ride it.

I rang Rachael
and said Shark's running a horse,

but can't get anyone to ride it.

I said, "I'm already after ringing
him, he said he was fixed up."

I said, "No. He just said that
cos he didn't know you."

I think she rang Davy Russell then.

She was riding out in...
a guy called Pat Downs,

who I also rode out there.

She was going to college
in Limerick.

Davy Russell had said to me, "If you
need a hand, give me a shout,"

so I rang Davy, and I said,
"Any chance you can ring Shark?"

I hate to see talent go to waste.

When someone is keen to get going
and they have a talent,

you'd like to point them
in the right direction.

(HORSE WHINNIES)

He said, "There's a girl,
she'd do you the finest."

Sixty seconds later, he rang me back
and said, "Yeah, you can ride it."

(GENTLE INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC)

(CHARLES) I went to Thurles.

I wasn't close to the fence,
I can tell you, so...

(COMMENTATOR) 'White flag
is raised. They're off.'

(CHEERING)
'Mission Impossible sets off.'

I just told her to kick on
from the second-last,

across the top of the hill,
and stay going.

And she did stay going.

'Final flight.
Stowaway Pearl has come back

to pick it up by a couple of lengths
at the final flight.'

I had to prove myself.

'Stowaway Pearl will win it.'

That's why ladies' races are there.

I was able to get exposure in those
and then people see you.

That's what kicked the ball
rolling with Shark.

'Won in good style,
number 16, Stowaway Pearl,

providing Rachael Blackmore
with her first-ever winner.'

(SHARK) So, we had a great start.

After that, she could start
coming up into my yard

and she rode a lot of winners
for me.

(COMMENTATOR) 'Safely over, Soudain
from the Shark Hanlon stable.'

(COMMENTATOR) 'Driven up towards
the line by Rachael Blackmore

wins our big race of the day.'

When starting out, you might get
eight, ten, twelve rides in a year.

It's a very slow learning curve
compared to other sports,

cos it's very hard
to participate.

Point-to-points are tough.
You're riding very green horses.

You're constantly trying
to put yourself in a position

to get on better horses.

So many things
have to fall into place

that you're the person that gets
to ride that horse on the day.

I really wanted
being a jockey to work.

I wanted it to work so bad.

Mentally, I didn't have
to fully commit to being a jockey

because I was in college.

When I was 25, I'd finally,
eventually, finished my college

and I was kind of at a crossroads

where continuing what I was doing
as an amateur, it wasn't a career,

it was essentially
more like a hobby.

I had to think
about maybe getting a real job now.

(HORSE GRUNTS)

My partner, we discussed
that maybe we should turn her pro.

There wasn't a female to do that

since Maria Cullen
was a professional in the 1980s.

It hadn't happened in a long time.

You had a lot of good
lady amateur jockeys,

but they just didn't
go professional.

I always wanted to ride
as a jockey,

but I could just never envisage
that it would be a career for me.

She said, "I'm not good enough
to turn pro."

She knocked herself straightaway.

What was I doing? I was an average
amateur turning professional.

How is this going to...
It wasn't a natural thing to do.

Came home and she said, "I'm
thinking of turning professional."

I asked Charles,
"What does that mean?"

We knew better than to try
and talk her out of it, so...

There was a lot of eyebrows
raised, "Why is she doing it?"

I got phone calls, saying,
"Are you mad?"

"Why are you turning the girl pro?"

So, the differences between
being professional and amateur,

they are basically that,
as a professional

you've more opportunities to ride,

you get paid
into your HRI account.

The weights would be much lighter.

My weight was good. I was able
to claim off bottom weight.

They were not afraid
putting her up.

She was able to ride
at a very light weight.

She was a very powerful rider
at that weight.

That was the turning point.
You were thinking, "Whoa, big move."

Being a jump jockey,
it's not a male or female thing,

but it's not for everybody.

.

(RACHAEL) I turned conditional
in 2015. March of 2015.

It means you change your status
from being an amateur

to a professional with a claim.

Every jockey starts
with a seven-pound claim.

That essentially means
that every horse they ride

carries seven pounds less because
of the inexperience of the rider.

You can claim seven, then you go
down to five and down to three.

It is essential
that riders start with a claim,

or else they never get started.

As you ride more winners,
your claim gets reduced.

When you've ridden your 60 winners,
your claim's gone,

so you're on a level playing field
with the other professionals.

(COMMENTATOR) 'White flag is raised.
They're off.'

I'd be texting her telling her,
"Fantastic, you were third."

Or, "Well done, you were second."
(LAUGHS)

I remember her saying,
"In whose world is second any good?"

I had seconds
on a mare called Personal Shopper.

'Towards the finish
it's a head-bobber.'

'(INDISTINCT) on the nearside
of Personal Shopper.'

She was having plenty of seconds.

In her own head she was thinking,
"When is it gonna happen?"

'Driven Hard in second,
then Personal Shopper.'

You can take part all you want,
but if you don't win,

you're not gonna last too long
in it.

'Be Seeing You beats
Personal Shopper.'

Rachael started with disappointment.
She had a lot of disappointment.

There was loads of times
when you might have rode a horse

and the next day
they want to get someone else.

You're just not good enough
at the time.

All I thought I could do was
keep trying to get better myself,

and hoping one day that I'd be able
to get on the horses

that would have the ability
to get their heads in front.

To me, I only ever thought about

would she be able
to handle the falls?

That's the only guarantee in racing.

Her idea of success is winning.

My idea of success
is coming home safe.

Like any parent watching
their child do a dangerous sport,

it was hard for them to watch
at times.

Being a jump jockey
is a calculated risk.

If you think for one moment
you're not getting injured,

you shouldn't be doing it.

If you're gonna be successful,
you have two ambulances behind you,

you'll be hoping that you're
going faster than everyone else,

so there's a chance that when
you fall, and you are gonna fall,

you're gonna get injured
more than everyone else.

(EIMIR) Now she was actually
on a track,

you could actually view the race.

That was great, because
you could see that she was OK.

As parents, we were thinking,
"This'll last six months,

and then she'll, you know,
get a real job."

I wanted it to work out,
and it wasn't working out

for a long time in everyone's eyes
because I hadn't ridden a winner.

There's a handicap hurdle in Clonmel.

The horse was called Most Honourable.
He was a fabulous horse.

(COMMENTATOR) 'Challenging down
the outside...'

When we jumped the last,
we were neck and neck to the line.

'Most Honourable on the stands side,
Rock On Back rallying well

as they go to the line.'

I'm pretty sure
I didn't know I'd won.

It was a big sigh of "Thank God
that's just happened now."

"We're going now.
I've ridden my winner."

When she rode a winner,
everyone wanted her.

'As they go to the line,
Rachael Blackmore on the nearside.'

'Abolitionist deserves to win it.'

'And a brilliant season continues
for Rachael Blackmore.'

John Hanlon brought her
to champion conditional.

(EIMIR) That was kind of
a pivotal moment.

I suppose then I said,
"She must be OK, so."

For anyone, you have to get a start.

If you don't get a start,
you're finished.

I suppose she was lucky enough

that we were here
to give her a hand.

But we only gave her a hand.
She done it all herself.

(INSECTS CHIRPING)

(BIRDS SINGING)

(HORSES WHINNY SOFTLY)

(CHARLOTTE) She's up at the crack
of dawn every morning.

It's not all glamour
and big racecourses.

On Christmas Eve,
she'll stay the night,

then she'll be gone
the afternoon of Christmas Day

cos she's racing the next day.

(RACHAEL) I get to do this as my job,

and it doesn't feel like my job.

It's something I'd do for free.

Actually, don't tell anyone that.
That's... That'll never happen.

(HORSES WHINNY SOFTLY)

She lives with Patrick Mullins and
her partner, Brian Hayes, in Carlow.

Myself, Paddy and Rachael.
The three of us.

(PADDY) A jockey's lifestyle
isn't completely normal.

The fact that we're all on
the same wavelength is a big help.

Brian and Rachael don't drink,

so they're good
for designated drivers as well.

There's good banter there.

You discuss things after,
when things go right,

but more so when things go wrong,
actually.

(RACHAEL) The basic things for me,
like getting a good start,

being aware of race pace
and where you should be in a race,

being aware of the riders around you,

getting to know
the people you ride against

and their different mannerisms.

The more you practise,
the better you're gonna get.

I know very well
she was on the phone to people,

probably pestering them,

but you just have to get
on the phone, get in your car,

go and ride out, cover the miles.

It's not just going to happen
if you sit at home on the couch.

I rode for Gigginstown a good bit
as a claimer.

We came across Rachael when
she was in Shark's claiming seven.

Then it became very apparent
very quickly

that she's far better
than just a claimer.

(MAN) I'm probably a bit
of a pessimist, a bit negative.

The best thing that sums me up is

"expect the worst
and hope for the best".

Eddie O'Leary suggested to me
that we should try Rachael.

We were in the back of a taxi
at Aintree.

He knew I was looking for someone.

From the word go, she looked
to be a little bit different.

He was hugely impressed by her,

and he just said, "Definitely
try her on our horses

and see how it goes."

Thankfully, the cab was moving,
so he couldn't jump out.

A top-five trainer like Henry
is what you need

to bring it to the next level.
To have him behind you is massive.

The first couple of spins
weren't so good

and I was starting to wonder,
was this a good idea?

But everything just clicked.
The horses really ran for Rachael.

What Rachael's very good at
is controlling a race.

It's something that comes to you
the more you're around horses.

It's a sixth sense.

I think horses like some people,
horses respond to some people.

She has a way with them.

Delighted when she was riding
for Henry, because as a mother,

he has a reputation for animals
that jump well. That'll do me.

This is Honeysuckle.

She's given me some of the best days
I've had in the saddle.

(COMMENTATOR) 'Honeysuckle
has pushed out clear.'

'Honeysuckle is special
for Rachael Blackmore.'

She's always responded,
and she's always dug so deep.

That's a very special thing,

when a horse gives you that
every time.

Rachael, even by your standards,
she's only a five-year-old,

she's got speed, stamina.

She appears, at this tentative
stage, to have almost everything.

I'm just so lucky
to be sitting on her back.

Yeah. That definitely puts them
in a special place in your heart.

I won't have horses to train
if I don't train winners,

she won't have horses to ride
if she doesn't ride winners.

(COMMENTATOR) 'It's Minella Indo!'

'It's another great one
for Rachael Blackmore!'

Rachael was absolutely brilliant.

Our lad stayed on really well.
Rachael was brilliant on him.

I used to text her,
"Well done, that was brilliant."

Then I got sick of texting her
cos she was just riding winners.

If you can get yourself into
a yard like Henry De Bromhead's

that has horses that are capable

of winning the Grand National
or Cheltenham, that's everything.

(RACHAEL) I would have gone
to Cheltenham when I was 18, 19, 20

with a few of my girlfriends.

We would have stayed over there
and went to the races,

and went to Club 21 that night,
and had great fun.

I would have experienced Cheltenham
from that side of it first.

Then I would have gone and had
three or four rides in a week.

Then I went with 15 or 16 rides
in a week.

Cheltenham is our Olympics.

It's the Olympics of horse racing.

It's the Olympics of what we do.

Which is a bit of a cliche,
but it is.

It's the pinnacle of our sport.

We're lucky we get to have it
every year.

We don't have to wait four years.

(INDISTINCT COMMENTARY)

'Good leap at the last,
landed about ten lengths clear...'

My first winner there was A Plus
Tard.

He absolutely flew up the hill.

I think he won 16 lengths.

'A Plus Tard was right on time
with Rachael Blackmore,

and wins in great style.'

I couldn't believe I was riding
the winner in Cheltenham.

This was just phenomenal.
It was just a fantastic feeling.

Once you have won,
you just want more.

(MAN) 'A very different Cheltenham
awaits

at a punter-less Prestbury Park.'

'Empty stands
won't diminish Irish chances.'

'The 2021 Festival could be
a huge one for Rachael Blackmore.'

'The Tipperary woman is on
the crest of a wave at the moment,

and her week
could be nicely bookended

with A Plus Tard
in Friday's Gold Cup

and favourite Honeysuckle
in tomorrow's Champion Hurdle.'

She had three rock-solid chances
and a couple of outside chances.

When you're in a position

where you've so many good rides
going to Cheltenham,

you're just hoping
you'll deliver on one of them.

The pressure. That's where
you're expected to deliver.

We feel the pressure as well.

Obviously,
we want her to have success,

and you want her home safe.

Didn't follow her as much
when she wasn't safe,

now I follow her more.

The Champion Hurdles is a race
you dream of winning.

It's Honey,
she's just an incredible mare,

and just for her, for all of us,
you'd love her to do it.

(WOMAN) 'You wonder where
the ceiling is with Honeysuckle,

that perfect ten from ten,

and she seems to still
be getting even better.'

Honeysuckle was obviously favourite.
She was unbeaten.

When you ride favourites
at the Cheltenham Festival,

you're expected to win.

I have to ask Rachael
what she's thinking.

She gives me a synopsis
of what she's thinking,

and does the opposite.
(LAUGHS) No.

Henry's trained her
to such a standard,

like, trainers will tell you

this horse
likes to be ridden like this.

But you're just trying to make
the best decisions in the race,

using all the information you have,

but also just riding the horse
that you're on.

The bit of pressure coming
with a horse that's unbeaten

every time they run,
and Honeysuckle was the big one.

(COMMENTATOR) 'They're off, racing
for the Unibet Champion Hurdle,

and the first of those eight flights
comes up pretty quickly.'

(CHARLOTTE) Mum finds it hard
to watch. She'd be nervous.

She has a great difficulty
watching the races.

I have been known
to unload dishwashers

and load washing machines
during the race,

and maybe just watch the end.

'Three from the left,
Goshen is close up.'

'The extreme left is Honeysuckle,
the very light jacket.'

(HENRY) Honey would have always
jumped off first two or three,

stayed wide, keep it simple.

Next thing, Rachael jumps off,
sort of, seventh or eighth

and I went, "Ooh,
that's not normal for us."

'Goshen and Silver Streak
are the leaders.'

'We have a faller there,
which is Abacadabras.'

Within five strides
you could see what she was thinking.

She had it all under control.
To see her travel like she did,

down, coming down the hill
to the second last was incredible.

Third last and the second last,
I had to give her a shake-up.

'They've got two to jump from here
in the Unibet Champion Hurdle.'

'And it's Aspire Tower
who's just the leader,

to Honeysuckle who's alongside now.'

Honeysuckle was the blessed horse.

She kept it uncomplicated,
got her jumping,

had her in a good position
every step of the way.

'James Du Berlais. Rachael
Blackmore commits Honeysuckle

on the run down towards the last
in the Champion Hurdle...'

The minute I started
to move on her a bit,

she came alive under me.

'Honeysuckle is pulling clear
in the Champion Hurdle

from Sharjah and Epatante.'

'Rachael Blackmore and Honeysuckle

climb right to the top
of the hurdling tree.'

Honeysuckle, after winning
the Champion Hurdle, that was...

That was incredible. By far
the biggest win of my career.

When Honeysuckle crossed the line,
I bawled my eyes out.

I thought it was unbelievable for
a woman to win the Champion Hurdle.

'Honeysuckle back as if the beat
was out of the question.'

'What a partnership
with Rachael Blackmore.'

'They have progressed
through the ranks together.'

'Now they have landed the biggest
hurdling prize of all.'

'Honeysuckle
is the champion hurdler.'

A big sigh of relief.
Absolutely over the moon.

I think, if you'd said to me
you can have Honey

she'll win by six lengths in
the Champion Hurdle but that's it,

I'd have said,
yeah, OK, I'll take that.

Relief, as well as the adulation
that came from Honeysuckle.

You could see the confidence that
then went into riding Bob Olinger.

'Still Rachael Blackmore
doesn't want yet

to commit with Bob Olinger,

but now she moves
to a length lead...'

She was now riding to win.
Not riding not to lose.

And that was cool to watch.

'It is Bob Olinger
by three lengths.'

'He's over the last clear,
from Gaillard Du Mensil

who's down on his nose
with Bravemansgame.'

'Bob Olinger is pulling clear
in the Ballymore!'

'Rachael Blackmore
and Henry De Bromhead

are in the Cheltenham
winner's enclosure again

as Bob Olinger
beat Gaillard Du Mensil.'

'A one/two for Ireland
on St Patrick's Day.'

I was extremely lucky.

Honeysuckle was after winning,
Bob Olinger was after winning.

(INDISTINCT) I fell off him.

Balko Des Flos,
in the cross-country race.

He jumped into the cheese wedges

and just kind of stumbled
a little bit, and I popped off.

Ah. But that's what racing does.
It knocks you straight back.

'So, Sir Gerhard, Rachael Blackmore,
red-and-white jacket and blue cap,

strides through now,
led on by over a length.'

Well, Sir Gerhard in the Bumper,
that was a ride for Willie Mullins.

In hindsight, I probably
kicked him on a bit too soon.

'Sir Gerhard
continues to be in front.'

'Kilcruit is beginning to close,

but it's hard work
as they race up the waterline.'

I was starting to tie up a bit
as we were getting to the line.

'Kilcruit is closing
with every single stride.'

'But it was Sir Gerhard
who made all!'

It just kept happening, you know?

You're just saying,
"She's after winning again, like."

So, it's, it's, you know...
It's incredible.

I had a glass of Champagne
in my garden at home.

(BIRDS SINGING)

'And they're off
for the Grade One Ryanair Chase.'

Yeah, the Ryanair on Allaho.

I spoke to Ruby Walsh before the race

and asked him
what way he'd ride him.

He said he wouldn't pull out,
he'd let the horse jump and gallop.

The best rider,
I think, that ever was.

We would definitely try,
in some shape or form,

to copy what he used to do.

She just believed in Allaho.
Just let him rock and roll

and went with him
every step of the way.

'Allaho continues to pour it on.
He's six lengths clear.'

Getting a horse to jump and to gallop

and essentially just being
a passenger on his back,

it's a fantastic feeling.

'Allaho is over safely
for Rachael Blackmore.'

She's confident enough to let
the horse do a lot of the work.

'Allaho! Allaho wins
for Rachael Blackmore.'

'They took no prisoners,
and they have won clearly.'

'Oh, Rachael
is the queen of Cheltenham,

but, Ruby Walsh, what a performance
that was from Allaho.'

'Oh, incredible. Incredible, Ed.'

'Whatever that jockey does, she does
the right thing all the time.'

Telmesomethinggirl was
completely different to Allaho.

'Telmesomethinggirl has dashed
away to win by a wide margin.'

I don't think Telmesomethinggirl
was the best horse,

and Rachael won despite that.

(HORSE SNORTING)

It takes a brave person to ride
half a ton of horse flesh

going at 40mph over a fence.

'On the outside Morning Vicar,

and Storm Control
landed with a narrow lead!'

'Plan Of Attack has gone, and
Rachael Blackmore is on the ground.'

Plan Of Attack's fall
hurt a little bit. Yeah.

That hurt a bit. But I was still OK.

A jockey doesn't want
to be taking falls.

I'd love to have not taken
so many falls that week.

It's not a positive thing.

What makes her different
from most other people

is her ability to ride with pain,

but I'm telling you, she was sore.

I'd even say she was hurt.

There's been times where
she's after getting falls

and been really, really sore,

and it's her mentality to get up

and to get back and to go again
that I admire.

(BIRDS SINGING / COWS MOOING)

It was actually just a mad week,
to be honest.

Like, it was just mad.

I was trying to call my parents,
they wouldn't answer.

They're out doing interviews.

They barely had time
to pick up the phone.

She has had some week.
And we're absolutely so delighted

with the amount of support
that she's received from people.

People are very generous
in their praise and all that.

It might have given people
a lift. We're happy.

My mum was doing interviews,
there was locals doing interviews.

We're so proud of her
here in Killenaule.

She's put Killenaule on the map

and it's great positivity
in a time of doom and gloom, really.

People were just
referring to her as Rachael.

You didn't even
have to call her second name.

We're watching the results
every day,

and we're following Rachael
as well in every race.

She's our banker.

Oh, she's after putting Killenaule
on the map, anyways,

so she is, thank God.

Her face was on the front
of every newspaper.

My week had been going incredibly
but it wasn't over yet.

You're in a very good position
in your head, I suppose,

heading into that day,
after Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday.

Quilixios was on the Friday.

This was a horse that had only
recently come to Henry's.

We didn't know a massive amount.

'Quilixios is over the last,
still being pressed by Adagio.'

I don't think Quilixios
was the best horse in the race.

That's always the best sign,

winning on a horse that's not
the best horse in a race.

'Rachael Blackmore.'

'Quilixios provides her with
her sixth winner of the week,

and surely now, leading rider.'

I did feel, when Quilixios won,

I was like, "God! Like,
everything is just happening now."

"This is my sixth winner
in Cheltenham. Is this happening?"

Tell us about your parents,
because I imagine their genes

will want to be cloned
by a lot of people straightaway.

They're getting a great kick
out of it, so it's brilliant.

I know they'd love
to have been here today.

It was incredible. Just incredible.

'More Rachael this week
than a Friends boxset.'

'Six winners in total
for Blackmore.'

'She had more winners than all
of the British trainers combined.'

I'm sure she was pinching herself
every day,

thinking, you know,
"This is like fantasy racing."

'But she is the top jockey.'

'A sensational achievement

on a week full of history making
for Rachael Blackmore.'

I think, the week she had... Phew.

Only Ruby's done better.

I'd had the most unbelievable week.
The ball was bouncing for me.

'Front and centre.'

'So much of the focus
on Rachael Blackmore

on a day bristling
with historical significance.'

'The Tipperary trailblazer
bidding to become the first woman

to complete a Champion Hurdle
Gold Cup double.'

When you get up
to ride in the next race,

what happened an hour ago
is history.

You don't even think about that
going to the start.

It's all about what's gonna happen
in the next five or six minutes.

'And they're off, racing for
the WellChild Cheltenham Gold Cup.'

'The 2021 Gold Cup.'

The Gold Cup is the Gold Cup,
like, full stop.

The Gold Cup. (LAUGHS)

It's the pinnacle. It's the race
that everyone wants to win.

(CHARLOTTE) I took the day off
for the Gold Cup.

I was just in my sitting room,
in my house,

just like keeled over
on the couch watching it.

Henry was heading into the Gold Cup
with two chances.

Minella Indo and A Plus Tard.

'There are seven to take
as the Gold Cup comes to the boil.'

I had the choice of which one
I wanted to ride.

'The game of cat and mouse begins.'

For a jockey to have
the choice of two horses

to ride in a Gold Cup,
it's a great position to be in.

She had an embarrassment of riches,
put it that way.

It's a testament to how well
Henry trained those two horses.

'A Plus Tard
on the outside of Minella Indo.'

I was happy enough where I was.

I could see Minella Indo
on my inside.

'On the final turn it's Minella Indo
and A Plus Tard that go on.'

'Minella Indo...'

I watched Minella Indo
in the Irish Gold Cup,

I wasn't sure
he had the confidence for it.

'A Plus Tard coming
for another crack at the leader.'

It did look like,
when they jumped the last,

that she reduced the margin.

'Getting closer now,
under Rachael Blackmore,

Minella Indo is all out, flat out,

but he wins the Gold Cup!
Coming second, A Plus Tard.'

You could see by her,
she was disgusted.

It was as if all the rest
of the winners didn't matter.

That's that way
she should have felt.

I had picked the wrong horse
in the Gold Cup.

It was no-one else's fault.

You leave Cheltenham
on the Friday night, thinking,

"All the ones before
are just irrelevant,"

because you missed winning
the Gold Cup.

That was the Gold Cup.

.

There was a period at home
where there was a Rachael shrine.

There were letters
and photos and everything.

My mum is funny.
We have a family WhatsApp group.

It's inundated
with things about me,

so she's trying to balance it out
like any mother would try and do.

The family WhatsApp is generally
just photos of Rachael's wins.

Every now and then, she might throw
in a photo of me and my brother

to balance it out a little, but...
(LAUGHS)

My brother could boil an egg
and she'd put it in.

(EIMIR) I have three children.

As a mother, they're all precious
and special to me.

She'll always make a point
of saying, "We love you as well."

I'm like, "I know. It's fine."
(LAUGHS)

I remember asking, "Are you riding
the Grand National?"

If she says yes, oh.

If she says no, oh.

You'll hear from her in passing,

"Oh, I have a ride
in the Grand National."

The Grand National is the race
that you think about as a kid.

It's what captures
every kid's imagination.

If you were thinking
about being a jockey,

being a jockey in the Grand National
is what your brain would be drawn to.

It's my first memory of racing,
riding my pony around the field.

It's the first race most people
come into contact with

when they see racing.

They see the Grand National on TV.
"Oh, what's this?

You'd sit down
as a family to watch it.

You'd have your sweepstake,
used to read all the books on it,

the history of the race.
I mean, it's steeped in history.

The Grand National is the most
talked-about horse race.

It's the biggest story
in horse racing in the world.

It's been around for over 150 years.

It's history.

The first woman to take part in it
was Charlotte Brew in 1977.

My first memory of it
is Carrie Ford in 2005.

Nina then rode in it
a couple of years in a row.

I rode in it
a couple of years in a row.

My last year to ride in it,
I was riding in it

with Rachael Blackmore
and Bryony Frost.

Aintree, as a meeting,
you've got Thursday, Friday,

then the Grand National
is on Saturday.

Brian was riding
in the National as well.

The three of us were in it.

We walked the track
on Friday evening together.

We had a bet, if one of us won,
what would we do?

It's an iconic track.

There's 40 horses, 30 jumps,

four-plus miles,
the fences look different.

It's a different kind of a challenge
to a normal race.

Cos of COVID restrictions,

the Irish jockeys
were all in one section,

so Rachael
was actually with us all there.

I saw she had one for Henry
and JP McManus.

In JP McManus's colours,

they're the most famous colours
in National racing.

There was a great atmosphere
beforehand.

All the Irish jockeys got a picture

before we went out
to the parade ring.

Getting a ride
in the Grand National

is an achievement in itself.

To be competitive
in a Grand National

is another achievement.

I rode in 15 Grand Nationals
before I could win one.

(COMMENTATOR) 'All set
for the latest chapter

in the rich history of this great
race, the Grand National.'

(LARGE GONG SOUNDS)

(COMMENTATOR) 'Here's Rachael
Blackmore, the lady of the moment.'

'If you've just been dropping in,

she had an incredible
Cheltenham Festival.'

'She had six winners.

'She was the first female rider
to be the leading rider there.'

'The team, Henry De Bromhead.'

'Imagine if they added
the Grand National, too.'

Minella Times,
we really fancied his chances.

He's been trained to go to this race.

Everyone who knows the race
knows what can happen.

It's the National.
Anything can happen.

Don't get excited.

'Patrick Mullins on the left.
These are the Irish riders.'

'Using a different changing room,
weighing room.'

'Rachael Blackmore, carrying
so many hopes, in amongst them,

in the JP McManus colours.'

(HORSES NEIGHING)

When you head to the start
of a National, you're so excited,

cos you just feel, like, "I'm so
lucky to ride in a Grand National."

'The runners coming down
to look at this first fence.'

I know she's awesome,
and she's great,

and I'm so proud of her,

and I'm proud to say
she's even riding in that race.

'It's Rachael. Good luck, Rachael.'

'They seem so relaxed, the jockeys.'

'They're just chatting away
as if it's just another race.'

Going there now, as a rider,
it has a different feeling.

Jockeys are wishing each other
good luck.

It's not like you're going for
a hack around the fields, either.

It's still the Grand National.

'They won't hang around here.'

'Sit tight, everyone, at home.
The Grand National of 2021.'

'The flag is raised. They're
quickly dispatched. They're off.'

(JONNY) At the start,
I'm fairly calm.

Just willing them forwards,
and a safe return.

I was really hoping
that he'd take to those fences,

and after we jumped two,
I was like, "Ah."

'As they jump the Canal, and Jett
rises first from Yala Enki.'

'Cloth Cap round the inside.'

'And they're all safely over.'

I was always drawn to Rachael.
Always.

'We've got a faller towards
the inside, Double Shuffle.'

Fence 12. The horse directly
in front of Rachael Blackmore

and Mark Walsh falls.

There was a faller to my left.
I went one side.

Any Second Now galloped over him
and got hindered.

It could easily have fallen
in front of Rachael.

It was sheer luck.

That's where you get
the rub of the green.

I didn't have a clue where she was.
There's so many runners,

you were just minding
your own horse.

'Minella Times is still handy, but
Jett leads by a widening margin.'

You had Jett out in front.

It looks like he's gonna win.

'As they approach the Canal Turn,
and Jett being angled across,

and he jumps it...'

(DRAMATIC MUSIC)

Patrick was riding Burrows Saint

and I think, about the third last,
he looked like he could win.

I remember thinking, "Patrick's
gonna win the Grand National."

He looked like he was travelling
really well.

Got to the second last,
we might have a squeak,

then, when Rachael went by me,
I was hoping that she might do it.

'Jett has now come back to them,

about to be joined
by Minella Times.'

Once you get past through
the second half of the race,

you're thinking,
"She's got a shot at this."

'Minella Times, the star
on the cap for Rachael Blackmore.'

'She lands just in front,
over the second last, Rachael.'

She looks like she might really
have a chance at this.

I'm just shouting at the TV,

standing up, like, jumping each
fence as she jumped it, as well.

Part of my brain was like,
"Keep going, you're gonna win."

The other part of my brain was like,
"Something's gonna flash past you.'

'Over the fence
in the Randox Grand National.'

He jumps the last
and I was, "Oh, my goodness!"

Charles said to me,
"Eimir, he's not home yet."

I said, "Oh, God."

I'd say I had white knuckles
from holding the table.

I was standing up,
holding the table.

'It's Rachael Blackmore
and Minella Times

who are out four lengths clear.'

(HENRY) Hoping you're still gonna
get home.

How many horses have got caught?
Are we gonna hold on?

'Minella Times for JP McManus,
Henry De Bromhead

and, more significantly,
Rachael Blackmore!'

'History in the National!'

I remember hearing the commentator
saying history is going to be made,

and I just remember thinking,
"She hasn't won the National, like."

(SILENCE)

(TRIUMPHANT MUSIC)

I could not believe
it was after happening.

I felt like I was going to burst.

Wonderful, when she got across
the line. Just amazing.

(CHARLOTTE) Jumping up and down,
screaming, dancing around.

Just could not believe it.

I'm incredibly proud of her.

When she crossed the line,
I was like, "You deserve that."

I think that she's phenomenal.

(PATRICK) Rachael owes myself
and Brian a trip to Vegas.

Whether she'll pay up or not,
but that was the bet.

I met Paddy in the weigh room after,
and we looked at each other

and were like, "Right,
she's won this now as well.

I can't believe
we won the Grand National.

We all know, those of us
that work in this game,

that you just want to be a jockey,

but you are the first female

to win the world's most-famous
horse race. Well done.

Ah, thank you. I don't...

I don't feel male or female
right now.

I don't even feel human.
This is just... unbelievable.

It's amazing, really.

(SPECTATORS CHEERING)

It's a dream that you train
the winner of the National.

I mean, it's a dream.
It's incredible.

Racing couldn't buy
what she's done for it.

(COMMENTARY IN ITALIAN)

(COMMENTARY IN FRENCH)

(COMMENTATOR) 'History indeed
in the National

because Rachael Blackmore rewrote
the record books on the weekend,

becoming the first female to win.'

It was a mould
that needed to be broken.

It doesn't matter whether
she's a man, woman, girl, boy,

she's better at riding horses
than everyone.

When she's done that, she could hang
up her boots and be done with it.

If you had said to me,

someday you'll be Leading Rider
in Cheltenham

and win the Grand National,

I'd have said,
"I'll retire if that happens."

"That's crazy. It's crazy talk."

But then, when it does happen,
you just want it to happen again.

It genuinely was the best moment
of my life.

In time to come they won't remember
Davy Russell or Ruby Walsh.

They may remember Tiger Roll,
they'll remember Red Rum.

It's the opposite with Rachael.

Not everybody could name
the horse she won on,

but one thing that will always
come into your psyche

is Rachael Blackmore.

It'll never leave.
That is supersonic.