Corach Rambler Takes Grand National Glory As Nine Protestors Arrested

Corach Rambler provided trainer Lucinda Russell and jockey Derek Fox with their second Grand National triumph at Aintree on Saturday after the race was delayed due to a number of animal rights activists storming the track.

Successful in 2017 with One For Arthur, Russell and Fox repeated the trick with Corach Rambler, who had enough in reserve to hold off the fast-finishing Vanillier at the winning line. 

A winner at the past two Cheltenham Festivals, Corach Rambler was sent off an 8-1 favourite in a race that was delayed by over 15 minutes due to the protests that led to Merseyside Police arresting nine people.

Russell said, “Those guys that went out to protest on the course, they think it's about horse welfare but that horse loves the sport. He loves everything that he does. He's kept in the best condition and I'm just so delighted that he can run in a race like that and perform like that.

“He has got greatness and it's what he deserves. Corach Rambler, in our hearts, is just the best horse. Now in the public hearts he is as well. To win the National, I know how important it is, I know how it changed my life with Arthur–for Corach to achieve that too is just fantastic.

“It's all about the horse, for me it's not about the betting–though I did back him and quite a lot actually!”

She added, “I hope those guys who were protesting will look at our website and our Facebook posts and see how they are looked after. It is so important they understand how we care for them every inch of the way.

“It is about Corach, he is just amazing. He took to those fences brilliantly, he understood them, he worked them out–he loved it.”

Fox had sat out the first two days of the meeting in order to recover from injury in time to ride Corach Rambler.

The jubilant rider said, “He is just the most wonderful thing ever, he deserved to win this. I got a fall last week and banged my shoulder, it was far from ideal. I was worried all week. I thank God I was back in time because it was the thrill of my life to ride him.

“It's thanks to the support of Lucinda and Scu [Peter Scudamore, assistant trainer and Russell's partner] for having the faith in me to put me up after not riding all week. I feel very lucky to be working for these great people.

“I think he'd the profile and he's loads of class–I just can't believe it.”

Animal Rising had threatened to disrupt the Aintree showpiece and were protesting from early on Saturday morning outside the track.

As the National runners were in the parade ring, a number of people breached security fences around the venue and ran on to the course, with at least two people affixing themselves to a jump using glue and lock-on devices

All of the intruders were apprehended, and the Merseyside Police commented afterwards, “We can confirm that nine people have been arrested at Aintree Racecourse today.

“Just after 5pm, a large number of protesters attempted to gain entry on to the course. The majority were prevented from breaching the boundary fencing, but the nine individuals who managed to enter the course were later arrested by officers.”

 

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Eight Pointers Added to Goffs UK Aintree Sale

Eight point-to-pointers have been added to the 2023 Goffs UK Aintree catalogue, bringing the total lots to go under the hammer at Aintree on Apr. 13 to 23.

Among the additional entries are lot 5, Lady Jago (Ire) (Getaway {Ger}) a winner of her debut for Terence O'Brien at Rathcannon; lot 14, the 5-year-old gelding Caher Roes Den (Ire) (Soldier Of Fortune {Ire}), the winner of his most recent PTP for Colin Bowe at Castletown-Geoghegan; and lot 21, last out point-to-point winner Rokathir (Fr) (Muhtathir {GB}), who will also be offered by Bowe.

The Goffs UK Aintree Sale will be held in the winners' enclosure following the last race on the card at Aintree Racecourse. For more information on the sale or to view the catalogue, visit the Goffs website.

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Rachael Blackmore Wins 2021 Irish Racing Hero Award

Jockey Rachael Blackmore will be awarded the 2021 Irish Racing Hero Award at the annual Horse Racing Ireland Awards in December.

Blackmore became the first woman to claim the Cheltenham Festival Leading Jockey title with six winners. She found Champion Hurdle success with Honeysuckle (GB) (Sulamani {Ire}) on Tuesday, a Triumph Hurdle score with Quilixios (GB) (Maxios {GB}) on Friday and also won races in the middle of the meeting with Bob Olinger (Ire) (Sholokhov {Ire}) and Sir Gerhard (Ire) (Jeremy) on Wednesday and Allaho (Fr) (No Risk At All {Fr}) and Telmesomethinggirl (Ire) (Stowaway {GB}) on Thursday.

She became the first woman to ride the winner of the iconic G3 Grand National with her success on Minella Times (Ire) (Oscar {Ire}) described as “historic” by President Michael D Higgins, “a truly amazing achievement” by An Taoiseach, Micheál Martin, with Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Charlie McConalogue T.D, saying, “You are once again a history maker and have done Ireland proud.”

Suzanne Eade, interim CEO of Horse Racing Ireland, said, “Rachael's achievements on two of jump racing's biggest stages are truly historic. Not only was she the first woman to ride the winner of a championship race at Cheltenham, but Rachael also became the first woman to win the Leading Jockey Award at the festival. It is remarkable that her six winners included five at Grade 1 level.

“Her Aintree Grand National victory made headlines all over the world and that accomplishment alone will resonate with so many within the racing industry and beyond.

“Rachael has become more than a role model; she is a true icon of our wonderful sport and a most fitting winner of the 2021 Irish Racing Hero Award.”

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Historic Grand National Win Still Hasn’t Sunk In For Jockey Rachel Blackmore

Rachel Blackmore made history over the weekend as the first female jockey to win the Grand National at Aintree, piloting 11-1 chance Minella Times across the wire first on Saturday. Prior to Blackmore's win, the closest a female jockey had come to winning the world's most famous steeplechase race was Katie Walsh's third on Seabass in 2012.

In her post-race interview, Blackmore told the world: “I don't feel male or female right now, I don't even feel human. This is just unbelievable.”

Blackmore told BBC Sport on Tuesday that the victory still hasn't really sunk in.

“It's been such a whirlwind since it happened,” the jockey said. “I haven't really processed the fact that I have won the Aintree Grand National. I've watched the replay a few times – but it's still just hard to comprehend it all.”

She added that the gender disparity hasn't been a major issue for her in her career as a jockey.

“For me in racing it's been extremely level,” Blackmore told BBC Sport. “I think the achievements of Nina Carberry and Katie Walsh, when I entered the weighing room were so big that the gender thing was never an issue.

“I've just carried that forward. For me personally it's never been an experience I have had in racing in recent times, and that's something that racing should be very proud of.”

Female jockeys were first allowed to enter the Grand National in 1975, when the Sex Discrimination Act was passed. Blackmore is the 20th female jockey to compete in the race.

Read more at BBC Sport.

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