Tipperary jockey Rachael Blackmore is honoured after another memorable year

Rachael Blackmore was honoured at the recent Irish Times/Sport Ireland Sportswoman of the Year Awards after another memorable year for the Killenaule jockey.

While it was always going to be hard for her to top her 2021 season, for which she won the Sportswoman of the Year Award, Blackmore gave it a mighty go, not least when she won The Champion Hurdle on Honeysuckle and the Gold Cup on A Plus Tard at Cheltenham.

In doing so, she became the first jockey since Tony McCoy in 1997 to win both races at the same meeting. It also made her the holder of those two crowns as well as the English Grand National all at the same time.

Above: Eimir Blackmore accepted the award on behalf of her daughter Rachael Blackmore. Also included are Noel O'Reilly, Sports Editor of the Irish Times and Una May, CEO Sport Ireland. Picture: Julien Behal Photography

She described what it felt like to trot toward the winner’s enclosure after winning a race at Cheltenham; “It’s the closest thing you can feel to feeling like a rock star without being able to sing.”

For her achievements, Rachael won the Sportswoman of the Month award for March and while she was unable to attend the gala lunch in the Shelbourne Hotel before Christmas due to racing commitments, her mother Eimir was on hand to receive the prize on her behalf.

This was the 19th year of the awards and Rachael was among 12 other monthly award winners nominated for the 2022 title. Other monthly award winners included boxers Katie Taylor, Kellie Harrington and Lisa O’Rourke, athlete Ciara Mageean, para rower Katie O’Brien, golfer Leona Maguire and Meath footballer Niamh O’Sullivan.

The overall Sportswoman of the Year winner was boxer Amy Broadhurst, the first Irish female boxer to take gold at the World Championships.