Retired champion jockey Rachael Blackmore has revealed that she is pregnant with her first child alongside fellow jockey Brian Hayes. The couple recently got married in a cozy ceremony in West Cork on January 5 after a decade-long friendship.
Rachael took to her Instagram story to share the exciting news, posting a picture of her Volvo car with a baby pram in the boot, captioning it with, “Love driving the Volvo XC60 BA. Boot contents looking a little bit different now.” The 36-year-old, who retired from horse racing last year, made history as the first female jockey to win the Grand National and to be the leading jockey at Cheltenham.
Originally from Tipperary, Rachael achieved an impressive total of 575 wins during her professional racing career. She announced her retirement in May last year, which followed her remarkable victory with Minella Times at Aintree in 2021.
Her accomplishments at the Cheltenham Festival in 2021 included winning 18 races, triumphing in all five championship contests. Notably, she secured victories with horses like Honeysuckle, A Plus Tard, Envoi Allen, Captain Guinness, and Bob Olinger.
Rachael’s outstanding performance in 2021 earned her the World Sports Star title at the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Awards. She was also honored as the greatest female jump jockey of all time by being inducted into Cheltenham racecourse’s hall of fame.
Having been friends for over ten years, Rachael and Brian first met at a stable in Co Carlow early in their careers. Despite both being jockeys, they seldom discuss racing at home. Rachael expressed gratitude towards Brian for his significant role in her career upon her retirement, acknowledging his immense support.
The couple has been seen together at various events such as Wimbledon, music festivals, and vacations. Brian, aged 34, has enjoyed a successful 17-year career as a jockey, riding for notable figures like Willie Mullins and securing one victory at the Cheltenham Festival.
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