Supreme Vinnie and Rachael Blackmore (second from right)© Photo Healy Racing
Jockey Rachael Blackmore made the breakthrough at Graded level for the first time at Gowran today, winning the Grade C Kilkenny Racing Festival Handicap Hurdle on the Denise O’Shea trained Supreme Vinnie
Lizzie Kelly has led the way with Grade 1 success in Britain in recent times as a professional lady jockey and while Nina Carberry and Katie Walsh have had success as an amateur jockeys in Ireland, Blackmore’s win on Most Honourable at Tramore in September 2015 was the first by a professional lady jockey in Ireland for many years with today’s Grade C win another milestone.
Following the race, O’Shea, who was herself reaching a career high-point, later stated “all credit to the horse, he's savage. He came home a bit tender and sore after Cork the last day, and fair play to Brian Hayes he looked after him. We swam him and just tipped away gently since.
"Rachael is really the making of this horse. He fights for her. I'd say he hated the ground but he's just so tough.
"The Moon & Stars (Syndicate) have been with me from the start, and they are great friends as well as owners. Ciaran O'Donovan from Cork city heads up the syndicate, and the horse is bred by his father Padraig, who sadly passed away earlier this year."
By Tom Weekes, quotes from Alan Magee
