Rachael Blackmore has revealed she was fed poor frozen food as the iconic jockey was forced to spend a night in a dilapidated Australian building amid a worrying altercation with the law.
The Grand National-winning jockey - who became the first female to win the revered race in its 182-year history in 2021 - was placed in a centre surrounded by barbed wire after she ran into troubles concerning her visa. Blackmore declared she was served food that had not been properly defrosted.
Blackmore surged to fame after winning the 2021 Grand National aboard Minella Times, and her success on the track has ensured she is now worth around £3 million. The 33-year-old recently opened up about her nightmare experience Down Under, shedding light on the dramatic scenes.
“I arrived into Australia once on the wrong visa,” Blackmore told the Irish Independent. “I got taken to some sort of centre to spend the night.
“I remember there being lots of barbed wire. When we arrived, everything got taken away from us.
“We were fed frozen meals that weren’t defrosted properly that evening. Needless to say, I was very glad to walk out of there the next day!”
Who will be the next sporting star to endure a frustrating experience Down Under after Rachael Blackmore and Novak Djokovic? Let us know in the comments section.
Blackmore did not say when the incident was, but she also made some other stunning revelations during the session. She said Fred Flinstone is the fictional character she most identifies with - perhaps after spending the night in a derelict building with barbed wire.
Blackmore also said she would most like to go for a pint with Lewis Capaldi, wishes her superpower was to be able to 'evaporate like Harry Potter' and that she would most like to see whales in the wild. Unsurprisingly, she said her favourite word was Honeysuckle, the name of the champion hurdle heroine Blackmore rides and dominates with.
The pair made it back-to-back Champion Hurdles at last March's Cheltenham Festival, but Nicky Henderson’s dominant mare Constitution Hill is the early favourite while Honeysuckle - who is unbeaten in 16 races - is also short in the betting for the Mares’ Hurdle.
Blackmore is in action at Galway this week at the Irish festival.
