Rachael Blackmore is aiming for another historic Grand National win on Saturday - but this time she'll have to upset her boyfriend to do so.
The 33-year-old, who in 2021 became the first woman to win the famous race at Aintree, is due to face-off against fellow jockey and lover Brian Hayes. Blackmore, who'll ride Ain't That A Shame as the 8/1 favourite, has been dating Hayes - also 33 - for three years, and they'll go toe-to-toe on the track at 5:15pm.
Before becoming an item, Blackmore and Hayes began living together at a house in County Carlow, Ireland alongside another jockey, Patrick Mullins. The trio have been there since 2016, with the female star saying on Friday: "It's a great house to live in. We don't talk about racing half as much as people might think."
But regardless of whether Blackmore or Hayes - riding Mr Incredible - wins on Saturday, there'll be no bottles of champagne being guzzled long into the night - at least not by them. "Neither of them drink, and I don't mean just alcohol, but tea or coffee as well," housemate Mullins revealed.
"Brian orders pints of milk if we go to a restaurant, and Rachael is just on water. But there are plenty of friends who get to enjoy the champagne - she's not afraid to throw a party."
Having won the 2021 Grand National on Minella Times, nine-year-old Ain't That A Shame is the horse she hopes to guide across the finish line. "He has a lovely profile for the race," Blackmore said in her role as a Betfair ambassador. "He was unlucky to be just beaten in the Munster National at Limerick in October, and it wasn't my best day in the saddle when I finished fourth on him in the Paddy Power Chase at Leopardstown over Christmas."
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"But he won nicely at Gowran the last day, and it was no harm that the runner-up came out and won at Fairyhouse there at the weekend. You don't really know how a horse will handle the track or the fences until you get out there, but he had a pop over the National fences at The Curragh, and he went well.
"I'd be confident that he will take to the fences fine. He travels well through his races, which is a big help. You're just hoping that you can get into a nice position and find a nice racing rhythm over the first few fences. I am hopeful that he can. After that, you never know, it's the Grand National, but he has his chance and I'm very much looking forward to it."
