Rachael Blackmore ended her 2025 Cheltenham Festival drought with a delightful double that kickstarted a green wave of Irish winners on St. Patrick’s Thursday.
Blackmore, the first woman to become leading jockey at the festival with six victories in 2021, had endured a lean opening two days with only last year’s Champion Chase winner, Captain Guinness, giving her hope of victory only to finish third.
And, her day three rides offered little promise of success with the bookmakers offering high odds for all three of Envoi Allen, Air Of Entitlement and Bob Olinger before racing began.
Riding the latter two to victory delivered Blackmore more success at this ‘magical’ meeting and helped the Irish trainers to win five of the seven races.
Blackmore’s first win came courtesy of a superb ride atop Air Of Entitlement in the Ryanair Mares’ Hurdle.
Kicking off the day in fine fashion, Blackmore held Air Of Entitlement just behind the leaders and never allowed them to get too far out of sight.
Jockey Keith Donoghue rode the favourite, Sixandahalf, and kept her close to the front before spurring her on down the hill. At the turn for home, the contenders made their move with an increase in pace that Blackmore and her charge matched.
There was still work to do though as the, now, 18-time Cheltenham winner, trailed over the final hurdle. With the crowd raucous with cheers and applause Blackmore galvanised the 16/1 Air Of Entitlement up the hill, drew level with Sixandahalf, then nudged ahead in front of the grandstand to win by half a length.
"It's a magical place to be,” reflected Blackmore after her win.
“She was brilliant and did really well and came through lovely. I want to dedicate this win to my cousin Robert who died at the weekend. His funeral was today.
"We have had a quieter two days. I felt like I had been spoiled the last few years but Henry [De Bromhead, Air Of Entitlement's trainer] does such an incredible job and I am very lucky to be on some of their backs."
After consecutive British victories, the second Irish win of the day came in Ryanair Steeple Chase which was earmarked as a potentially interesting encounter with a mix of quality racehorses taking to the field. Impressive French horse Il Est Francais joined last year’s winner Protektorat and Gold Cup challenger Jungle Boogie but it was Fact To File who took the spoils.
Willie Mullins had thought of placing Fact To File in Friday’s Gold Cup but decided this race suited him better. He was right.
Jockey Mark Walsh rode a splendid race, positioning Fact To File alone in fourth and allowing Il Est Francais, on his first ride at the Cheltenham Festival, to tire himself out challenging for the lead.
With two fences to go Walsh moved to the outside, using the downhill slope to his advantage and leapt into the lead heading into the final straight. His competitors could not respond. They fell behind and Fact To File, a 6/4 favourite, cruised home to thunderous applause from the spectators.
Amid a plethora of punters dressed in green and gold to celebrate an early St. Patrick’s day, the Irish surge had truly begun.
Blackmore’s second victory, in the champion race Stayers’ Hurdle, was equally as impressive as her earlier one. And eerily similar.
Holding Bob Olinger steady in the middle of the pack she utilised the quicker pace of the downhill drive to the final turn to close the gap on the 7/4 favourite Teahupoo. Drawing ever closer to the leader, Blackmore and her charge leapt into the lead over the last hurdle and had enough momentum to carry them up to the line for a win at 8/1.
"I'm very lucky to be on this horse. He is brilliant. He has so much speed and could use it,” Blackmore revealed post-race. “They went at a good gallop, but he could still pick up when it was needed. He is unbeaten around here.”
Jagwar then claimed a fourth win for the Irish, and one for owner JP McManus, with a perfectly timed burst in the TrustATrader Plate, while Daily Present triumphed in the Kim Muir Challenge Cup, a race which featured Michael O’Sullivan’s younger brother Alan.
Though British trainers only won twice on a tough day, both horses were noteworthy stories.
Caldwell Potter was an emotional winner for Sir Alex Ferguson. He triumphed in the Jack Richards Handicap Chase having led from the front the entire way round the course. Ferguson co-owed the horse with his friend John Hales who died aged 85 in January.
And, Doddiethegreat was a jubilant victor in the Pertemps Handicap Hurdle following a late charge to pip 11/2 favourite Jeriko Du Reponet to the line. The horse was named after Scottish rugby great Doddie Weir, who passed away after a battle with motor neurone disease. The £47,344 prize fund will be donated to the Doddie Weir Foundation to support those dealing with MND.
