Blackmore is now used to achieving major success in National Hunt racing. She was the leading rider at the 2021 Cheltenham Festival, after finishing the week with six winners. Her victories included Honeysuckle’s win in the Champion Hurdle, one of the four Championship races across the week.
The woman from County Tipperary will be hoping she can become a repeat winner of the Grand National in April. She is expected to partner Minella Times in the marathon contest again. The defending champion is +1600 in the bet on horse racing odds for the Aintree race.
Photo by gdtography from Pexels
Blackmore is very familiar with the major fences on the Grand National course now. If she can steer her horse to another win, he will match what Red Rum and Tiger Roll achieved in 1974 and 2019 respectively, by becoming a back-to-back champion.
If Minella Times is to come out on top in the 40-runner field in 2022, he will need to do so with 15lb more on his back on this occasion. The handicapper announced the horse’s allocation of 11st 4lb at the official weights launch.
Henry De Bromhead’s runner is rated as high as 161 in the official ratings. Only four horses in the latest declarations for the 2022 Grand National have a higher rating, including Cheltenham Gold Cup contender Galvin.
Blackmore’s likely horse will need to improve on the two performances he has produced so far this season. He has failed to finish the course in his two outings, albeit the first came in the Grade One John Durkan Memorial Punchestown Chase, a race of the highest level.
Minella Times is now being rested before his shot at the race at Aintree. He does not have an entry at the Cheltenham Festival, unlike many of his rivals for the 4m2f contest in the final month of the National Hunt season.
The challengers to Minella Times and Blackmore in the Grand National this year include the talented mare Snow Leopardess. Charlie Longsdon’s runner won over the Grand National fences in the Becher Handicap Chase earlier this season.
No mare has won the Grand National since 1951, but this latest entry is the favorite in the betting to come out on top. She was successful in a Listed contest at Exeter on her latest start, her third victory of the season.
The upcoming renewal of the Grand National could also feature last year’s third and fourth, Any Second Now and Burrows Saint respectively. Those horses will be fancied to be in the mix once more.
All eyes will be on Blackmore in the Grand National as she bids to produce another moment of brilliance in the sport in Liverpool. Success will see her grab the headlines all around the world again.
