THREE of Rachael Blackmore’s biggest fans have enjoyed an exciting few weeks as she was crowned leading rider at the Cheltenham Festival before recording that historic victory on board Minella Times in the Randox Grand National at Aintree last Saturday.

While trainer Henry de Bromhead was on hand to saddle his runners at both fixtures, his wife Heather watched the action at home on television in Knockeen with the couple’s children, 12-year-old twins Mia and Jack plus their sister, Georgia. That 10-year-old who can’t wait to ride up the yard’s schooling hurdles alongside Rachael.

“We are just delighted – it was an unbelievable result,” said Heather. “Having the first two home in the National was amazing but the children just love Rachael so to have her winning meant the world to them. They have done some riding-out on the racehorses and are a big help around the yard especially at feeding time.

“While they were once mad on showing they are now more into show jumping and had a good season last year once the action got underway. They are keen for it to start up again and, as members of the Waterford Branch, are very much looking forward to some Minimus competitions as well.”

Great IPC record

We don’t know if Rachael ever did Minimus but she had a very good record in Irish Pony Club one-day events on Ginny Hutton’s Connemara Murphy Himself on whom she also won several working hunter competitions and partnered into sixth in his Connemara performance hunter class at the Dublin Horse Show.

An important cog in the wheel at the de Bromhead yard is leading show horse producer Rosemary Connors who does all the flat work with the racehorses. She had a red letter day of her own last Saturday as, not long before the start of the Aintree feature, she saddled her first point-to-point winner when Ingenious Stroked landed division three of the five-year-old geldings’ maiden at Cork.

Having his second start on Saturday, the bay Jet Away gelding has been entered in the upcoming Tattersalls Cheltenham Sale at Newmarket.