Up next
Is Facebook down right now?
Dominance of fiercely driven Irish rider who rode six winners at Festival gave new life to a sport that was on its knees
In a pivotal week for jump racing, with this tough old sport looking battered at the start of an eerie Cheltenham Festival, a glorious mix of exhilaration and history came to the rescue. There was also a giddy sense of Irish magic in the English countryside as Rachael Blackmore and Henry de Bromhead dominated the Festival and lifted spirits with their understated brilliance.
De Bromhead became the first trainer to win the big three races – the Champion Hurdle, the Champion Chase and the Gold Cup – in the same week. But Blackmore, the 31-year-old from County Tipperary, has been the story of the Festival, after riding six winners in magnificent style.
