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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Sport
Melissa Jones

Rachael Blackmore models diamond jewellery to announce new Cheltenham Gold Cup sponsor

Rachael Blackmore has modelled diamond jewellery to mark the launch of the new Cheltenham Gold Cup sponsor.

The Grand National-winning jockey was pictured wearing Boodles necklaces as the firm announced it would back the Festival's feature contest.

Blackmore, the first female rider to win Aintree's most famous race last April, finished second in the Gold Cup on A Plus Tard a month earlier.

The Henry de Bromhead-trained chaser is the ante-post favourite to go one place better this year.

The announcement of the new sponsor comes less than two months before the race on March 18.

Nicholas Wainwright, Chairman of Boodles, said: "Boodles is thrilled to have the opportunity to sponsor the Cheltenham Gold Cup. We have had a long association with horse racing at Aintree over many years – having been established in Liverpool in 1798 – and of course in recent years at the home of jump racing, Cheltenham.

“Today's announcement expands a multi-year partnership, starting with our sponsorship of the leading jockey award at The Festival, then the Boodles Juvenile Hurdle and now the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup itself.

“Our involvement and sponsorship of the Cheltenham Gold Cup is a perfect fit for us and we are going to enjoy the journey."

Ian Renton, Managing Director for Cheltenham Racecourse and The Jockey Club’s West Region, said: “It is wonderful to enjoy this association with Boodles, such an iconic British brand, at Cheltenham and we are very proud to see this partnership expand to take on the most prestigious jump race in the world.”

Usually 70,000 spectators watch the race at the track, which was run behind closed doors in 2021 due to coronavirus restrictions.

Rachael Blackmore (red colours) finished second in the 2021 Gold Cup on A Plus Tard, a stablemate of the winner Minella Indo (Getty)

Blackmore, who made history in the Grand National, could do so in the Gold Cup, as no female jockey has won it before.

Although she narrowly missed out last March, to a horse she had ridden previously, Minella Indo, she still scooped the Cheltenham leading jockey award with six victories.

She went on to be named the 2021 RTÉ Sports Person of the Year and the BBC World Sport Star of the Year.

Boodles, a family-owned business, was founded in 1798 and its most recent turnover figure was £49.5 million.

This was down from £74 million in the previous 12 months, the Evening Standard reported.

Lockdowns led to the retailer closing its ten stores for almost six months.

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