‘It will be very different’ – Legendary jockey Rachael Blackmore reveals what’s next for her after shock retirement
LEGENDARY jockey Rachael Blackmore has revealed what’s next for her after her shock retirement from the saddle.
And she has opened up on the moment she knew she had to call it quits – after an epiphany at Cheltenham Festival.
The trailblazing former Grand National winner stunned the sport when she announced her retirement last Monday.
But in a conversation with Betfair, she said she had no plans yet to become a mentor or coach to aspiring young jockeys.
Blackmore, 35, has written her first book – Granny National – and appears happy to take a complete break from the sport that turned her into a global icon.
Asked what the future had in store, Blackmore said: “Even though retiring was probably a feeling inside me that I had kind of dampened down, it wasn’t part of a massive plan to retire that Saturday.
“There is nothing set up but I am very lucky that I can take a few weeks and decide what might be next.
“It will be a very different life to the one I had previously.”
Blackmore’s decision came out of the blue and just weeks after she had enjoyed more Cheltenham success with a Stayers’ Hurdle win on Bob Olinger.
She said when she was exiting the home of jumps on the final day of the Festival she had a strange feeling it may be for the final time.
Blackmore said: “When I was leaving the weighing room at Cheltenham on Friday this year, for the first time I just had a little thought in my head: ‘Will I be back here next season?’
“It was the first time that thought had ever crept into my head. I didn’t know.
“Part of me thought I would be back, part of me thought I wouldn’t. I just said to myself leave it [the decision] until June and get to the jockey’s break. I’d think about it all then.”
But, after her 2021 National win on Minella Times and ‘most iconic’ 2022 Gold Cup victory on A Plus Tard, she said it was one final win at Cork of all places that convinced her the time was right to go.
Blackmore added: “I was going to Cork the other day [to ride Ma Belle Etoile] and I thought: ‘If this one wins then maybe that’s the time to call it.’
“She won and, the following morning, I fully decided that was it.”
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