Rachael Blackmore retires: a standard-setter, a champion, and one of our own. It’s not easy to put a career like Rachael Blackmore’s into words.

Because it was never just about the wins—though there were plenty of those. It wasn’t just about breaking records—though she did that too. It was about something more. Something quieter, deeper. She made people believe. Young girls. Grassroots riders. Families in pony clubs. Whole communities. She made them believe there was a way forward. That this sport wasn’t just for the few—it was for anyone good enough.

And make no mistake—Rachael Blackmore was more than good enough. She was exceptional.

Just a short while ago, the Tipperary jockey confirmed what many hoped wouldn’t come just yet—her immediate retirement from racing. She leaves behind a career that didn’t just change her own life—it changed the sport.

From that first professional ride at Down Royal in 2015 to standing in the Cheltenham winner’s circle 18 times, Rachael built a legacy on pure performance. She became the first female jockey to win the Grand National. The first to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup. The first to sweep all five of the Festival’s championship races. And yet, if you asked her about any of it, she’d speak about the horses. The people. The work done when no one was watching.

She’d speak about Shark Hanlon—the man who gave her a chance when others didn’t. She’d speak about Henry de Bromhead, whose trust in her unlocked some of the most iconic victories in recent memory: Honeysuckle, A Plus Tard, Minella Times, Bob Olinger. She’d speak about the stable staff, the agents, the physios, the owners who gave her the leg up—not just on race day, but every day.

But she probably wouldn’t speak about herself.

So we will.

She wasn’t just a world-class jockey. She was a world-class professional. An amazing person. She did things few have done, and even fewer could do. And she did them with composure. With purpose. With a grounded humility that made her impossible not to respect.

She stood for something. And not just on the big days.

Rachael was one of the first supporters of the HAY, How Are You? campaign here at the Grassroots Gazette that we do yearly with Shane Rooney. When we launched it to start a conversation about mental health in the equine community, she stepped forward after Zoe had a chat with her. Quietly. Without asking for credit. She just got it. She understood what the weight of this life can look like, especially for those not in the spotlight. She understood that grassroots equestrians matter. That how we show up for each other matters. She was such an incredible role model.

Rachael knew where she came from. Tipperary roots. Point-to-points. Riding out for Arthur Moore and Pat Doyle. Her story didn’t begin with bright lights—it began with a pony she couldn’t hold. And that’s why it resonated. That’s why it still resonates. Because every kid mucking out stables in the rain, every girl walking the track with a quiet ambition—they saw a bit of themselves in Rachael.

She never chased attention. She never demanded headlines. But the industry changed around her anyway. And now, she leaves it better than she found it.

Rachael Blackmore retires with 564 National Hunt winners. A further 11 on the flat. Thirty-three Grade 1 victories. But stats don’t measure legacy. They never do.

Legacy is in the girl who signs up for her first pony camp because she saw Rachael on TV. It’s in the young jockey who looks at the weighing room differently now—because she’s seen who’s been through it. It’s in the belief that no matter your background, your gender, your accent or your route—if you’re good enough, and you’re ready to work, there might just be a space for you.

Her final ride came on Ma Belle Etoile at Cork last weekend. A winner. Of course it was. Quiet, composed, professional to the end.

There’ll be no replacing her. There’ll be no rewriting what she’s done.

From all of us at the Grassroots Gazette—thank you, Rachael. For everything.

There will be many like her—but there will never be another Rachael Blackmore.