Rachael Blackmore had to make do with just the one winner on day one of the Cheltenham Festival, but it was perhaps the most emotional victory of the day.
Aboard Honeysuckle for the last time, the Tipperary woman took home victory in the Close Brothers Mares' Hurdle.
It made up for disappointing finished in her two other rides on Tuesday. She won't care however, as Honeysuckle's victory became instantly iconic for a multitude of reasons.
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The win in Honeysuckle's race was especially poignant for trainer Henry de Bromhead, who is at the Cheltenham Festival for the first time since the tragic loss of his son Jack in 2022.
After the race, Blackmore paid a beautiful tribute to Jack:
"We all wish a very special kid could be here today but he's watching down on us," said Blackmore.
Speaking about Honeysuckle, she said: "She was unbelievable. The way Henry has produced her every day is just phenomenal. As a jockey, I'm just so grateful.
"She's just a phenomenal mare, has been incredible for my career. She's just a credit to everyone. It's just a brilliant day."
Shortly after the victory, an emotional Henry de Bromhead spoke about how much this victory means to himself and his family:
"Sure it's the fairytale ending isn't it?" said an ecstatic de Bromhead. "It's what you dream of happening and more often than not it doesn't, but today it has and it's incredible. It means a lot to all of us."
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