In a landmark moment for British horse racing, trailblazing jockey Rachael Blackmore has been formally inducted into the Jump Racing Hall of Fame at Cheltenham, an honour she describes as 'surreal'. The ceremony, held on Thursday, also posthumously recognised the three Anthony brothers from Wales for their historic dominance in the sport nearly a century ago.
A Trailblazing Career Recognised
Cheltenham racecourse has officially recognised Blackmore as the greatest female jump jockey of all-time. The Irish rider, who retired from the saddle in May, carved out a history-making career, securing every major prize in National Hunt racing.
Her most iconic achievement came in 2021 when she became the first female jockey to win the Grand National, steering Minella Times to a famous victory at Aintree. That same year, she was the leading rider at the Cheltenham Festival, a feat that included winning all five of the meeting's championship contests.
Unforgettable Festival Triumphs
Blackmore's remarkable record at the Cheltenham Festival includes 18 career winners. Her legendary partnership with the mare Honeysuckle yielded back-to-back Champion Hurdle victories in 2021 and 2022. She also piloted A Plus Tard to a stunning Cheltenham Gold Cup success in 2022.
Completing her full set of feature race wins, Blackmore's final championship victories were:
- Ryanair Chase with Envoi Allen (2023)
- Queen Mother Champion Chase with Captain Guinness (2024)
- Stayers’ Hurdle with Bob Olinger (2025)
Her extraordinary 2021 season was further crowned with the BBC Sports Personality of the Year World Sports Star award.
Honouring Racing's Pioneers
Inducted alongside Blackmore were the three Anthony brothers – Owen, Jack, and Ivor – who trained seven Cheltenham Gold Cup winners between them in the sport's early years. Their victories, spanning from 1927 to 1941, included the legendary horses Thrown In, Easter Hero (twice), Golden Miller, Morse Code, Roman Hackle, and Poet Prince.
The brothers also each trained a Champion Hurdle winner: Brown Tony (1930), Chenango (1934), and Solford (1940).
Reflecting on the honour, Blackmore, who was recently announced as a Cheltenham Racecourse ambassador, said: "Cheltenham is an incredibly special place... To be inducted into the Hall of Fame here is a huge honour, being recognised alongside so many of the greats of our sport is something that still feels surreal."
Cheltenham CEO Guy Lavender stated: "The Hall of Fame celebrates the very best in Jump Racing and Rachael Blackmore’s achievements are on such another level I think it is totally right that she is inducted into it at the first possible opportunity." He also paid tribute to the Anthony brothers, noting their success was instrumental in building the prestige of the Cheltenham Gold Cup.
