Rachael Blackmore makes Cheltenham Gold Cup history on A Plus Tard – and led into winners’ enclosure by former Ripon Grammar School pupil

The first female jockey to win jump racing’s most cherished contest, this boundary-breaking rider was typically modest: “I don’t know how I am this lucky. Phenomenal.”

Cheltenham: Yorkshire’s helping hand as Rachael Blackmore and Honeysuckle land stirring Champion Hurdle victory

Yet the fabled luck of the Irish played little part – this was race-riding of the highest order from a consummate horsewoman who was completing the Gold Cup and Champion Hurdle double after her victory on Honeysuckle 72 hours previously.

Twelve months ago, Blackmore had to settle for second best on A Plus Tard as stablemate Minella Indo surged to victory – it was the only low-point in a year that saw her make Randox Grand National history on Minella Times.

She reflected on the tactics, bided her time yesterday on the majestic A Plus Tard, did not panic when Minella Indo surged clear two out – and then sealed the race with a majesty jump at the last to win by an emphatic 15 lengths.

With the defending champion Minella Indo a far from disgraced runner-up, and Protektorat, co-owned by Sir Alex Ferguson third, trainer Henry de Bromhead has now saddled the one-two in successive Gold Cups.

It was also a poignant day for Cheveley Park Stud who own A Plus Tard – David Thompson, who bought the horse with a view to winning a Gold Cup, died last year.

Yet, as the victorious horse and Blackmore were escorted into the hallowed winners’ enclosure by former Ripon Grammar School pupil Zoe Smalley, now travelling head lass for De Bromhead, Cheltenham rose as one to salute a golden great of a jockey whose self-effacing modesty masks a steely determination.

“I just can’t believe it. I’m so lucky to be getting to ride all these kind of horses,” said Blackmore, 32, as she tried to comprehend her latest success 38 years after Burrough Hill Lad’s landmark win in 1984 saw the trailblazing Jenny Pitman became the first female trainer to win the Gold Cup.

“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. I wish I had something better to say right now. I just can’t.

“You have all these plans about how things are going to work out. Racing doesn’t let that happen all the time and for some reason it’s happened to me today. I just can’t explain how lucky I feel.”

Richard Thompson, of owners Cheveley Park Stud, said: “We’ve been talking about this moment, and it’s happened. It’s absolutely fantastic to win the Gold Cup. Incredible.

“My father would have loved it, he watched the Gold Cup for many years and to actually win it is incredible. I can’t even speak.

“I did feel she was a bit far back, but I knew she had a gameplan – she has totally delivered. What a day for racing.”

And this view was shared by County Waterford-based De Bromhead after he and his victorious rider, now universally known as Rachael, had exchanged words of disbelief in the winners’ enclosure.

“Rachael was brilliant on him. Rachael was so brave, the way she went about it, it was brilliant,” he said with a smile as wide as the Irish Sea. “She was really brave. I’ve kind of got to that stage that if it’s going to happen, it’s going to happen. They both got a lovely passage. Robbie (Power) was brilliant on Indo and Rachael amazing on A Plus Tard.

“It definitely does (feel different this year), just the crowds looking here at the stand - it’s just incredible. This is what it’s all about. It was amazing to win it last year, but it’s triple amazing this year with all the people here.”

With six fences to go, all 11 runners were still in contention – and Callum Bewley deserves great credit for leading the field on the agllant Aye Right, the pride of the North, before Harriet Graham and Gary Rutherford’s faded. They were ultimately ninth. Yet, as they crossed the line, Rachael Blackmore had been crowned as the ‘Queen of Cheltenham’ after turning the blue riband contest into a one-horse race.

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