Rachael Blackmore wins Cheltenham Gold Cup on A Plus Tard - BBC Sport
Rachael Blackmore creates history as A Plus Tard beats Minella Indo to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup.
Last updated on .From the section Horse Racing

Rachael Blackmore created history as the first female rider to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup, storming to success on A Plus Tard.

The pair had finished second to stablemate Minella Indo last year and Blackmore wanted to put things right.

This time, she made no mistake on the 3-1 favourite, moving ahead of Minella Indo after the last and racing clear to win for trainer Henry de Bromhead.

Minella Indo (7-1) was second ahead of Protektorat (10-1).

Galvin (10-3) came in fourth with Al Boum Photo - the winner in 2019 and 2020 - sixth.

Blackmore's history-making run began in 2021 when she became the first female jockey to win the Champion Hurdle and Grand National, as well as taking the leading rider award at last year's Cheltenham Festival.

"I just can't believe it. I'm so lucky to be getting to ride all these kind of horses," she told ITV Racing.

"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.

"I've had so many special days. I wouldn't swap the Grand National for anything but this is the Gold Cup."
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For all her success, Blackmore knew that last year's Gold Cup had been within her grasp before A Plus Tard faded in the closing stages.

Twelve months on, in what was a closely contested race until the run-in, Minella Indo and Robbie Power made the first significant move and grabbed the lead two from home.

But his rivals were never far away and A Plus Tard waited patiently before showing a lovely turn of pace to take the lead and, once he did, there was only going to be one winner and the pair finished 15 lengths clear.

It was 32-year-old Blackmore's second feature race success of the week, after her win on Honeysuckle in Tuesday's Champion Hurdle.

While last year's victories at Prestbury Park and Aintree had been achieved behind closed doors, this time Blackmore was roared home by a Cheltenham record crowd of 73,875, including her father and siblings.

She told BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra: "I was happy with my position throughout the race - I had everyone in my sights that I wanted to keep an eye on. I tried to keep hold of him a bit more this year and it is great when it works out.

"I knew I had more under me this year than last year, but I didn't know he was going to go away in that fashion. He is an incredible horse."

It was absolutely brilliant - she gave him an absolute peach of the ride. That is what makes it sweeter. When the gap opened up round the home bend it was all over.

Rachael is just phenomenal. She is as cool as cucumber. It is just the decisions that she makes - she is so tactically aware. It was just an absolute pleasure to watch.

It is another big moment for women in racing, sport and business. She is an absolute star.

She got a gap at the second last and there wasn't room for a mouse to get through there but she put the horse's nose in there and he went through it like a knife through butter.

She is just an extraordinary horsewoman. She gets the horse travelling and relaxed.

It was also a day to remember for trainer Willie Mullins who had a five-timer on his way to 10 wins overall, smashing his own Festival record of eight victories.

With the Gold Cup success for De Bromhead and Joseph O'Brien's win with Banbridge, ridden by Mark McDonagh, in the closing Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle, it meant all seven winners on the day were trained in Ireland.

"I didn't realise no-one has ever trained this many winners here, but since it became a four-day Festival things changed numbers-wise," said Mullins.

"I'd imagine this sort of thing will happen more regularly and if they go to five days someone will do it easily."

Mullins started the day well when Vauban (6-4), ridden by Paul Townend, led home an Irish-trained top five in the Triumph Hurdle.

Townend was always well placed and although his mount was less than fluid at the last, he recovered well to beat Fil Dor and Pied Piper.

Mullins and Townend were back in the winners' enclosure in the next courtesy of the 11-4 favourite State Man in the McCoy Contractors County Handicap Hurdle.

Townend's fifth win of the Festival secured him the leading jockey honour.

The Nice Guy then assured Mullins of the top trainer's title as he led home a stable one-two in the Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle.

Ridden by Sean O'Keeffe, the 18-1 shot got the better of Minella Cocooner and the treble-chasing Townend by five lengths.

But the climax of the race was overshadowed by a fatal injury sustained by second-favourite Ginto, who was moving into contention late on. It was the fourth equine fatality of the meeting.

It was fitting that Mullins' son Patrick ensured that his father created history with win number nine, getting up in the final strides on Billaway (2-1 favourite) to deny Winged Leader in the St James's Place Hunters' Chase.

Mark Walsh then made it five Mullins wins for the day on Elimay (9-4) in the Mrs Paddy Power Mares' Chase.

"I'm delighted with the whole team," added Mullins senior. "I'm going to accept the award with all my team because they are the ones who do it in the background, leaving me free."
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