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Irish Mirror
Irish Mirror
Sport
Robert Hynes

Rachael Blackmore's earnings dwarfed by Meydan prize money as Frankie Dettori wins Dubai World Cup

Rachael Blackmore has enjoyed an incredible past 12 months or so.

The Tipperary jockey was crowned the leading rider at the Cheltenham Festival last year after winning six races before partnering Minella Times to victory in the Grand National at Aintree a couple of weeks later.

She enjoyed more success at Prestbury Park this year, riding Honeysuckle to victory in the Champion Hurdle before becoming the first female to win the Gold Cup as she rode A Plus Tard to victory.

READ MORE: Rachael Blackmore hailed 'fabulous role model' after latest interview

Blackmore also tasted success by winning the Turners Novices' Chase on Bob Olinger after Galopin Des Champs fell at the last fence.

The combined amount of prize money for those ten races was just under £1.6million (€1.9million), which is undoubtedly a large sum of cash but is dwarfed by what was on offer in Dubai over the weekend.

Frankie Dettori rode Country Grammar to victory for American trainer Bob Baffert in the Dubai World Cup on Saturday to pick up over €6.2million in prize money for connections.

That is over three times more than what Blackmore won by winning a Grand National, two Champion Hurdles, a Gold Cup, a Ryanair Chase and five other Cheltenham Festival races.

Frankie Dettori after winning the Dubai World Cup on Country Grammar (Getty Images)

There was also Irish success in Meydan on Saturday as A Case Of You won the Al Quoz Sprint for Dublin trainer Ado McGuinness with Kildare jockey Ronan Whelan on board.

Were you following the races at Cheltenham? Have your say in the comments section

That victory landed €780,000 for connections, which is more than what Honeysuckle and A Plus Tard's combined wins in the Champion Hurdle and Gold Cup respectively picked up for connections this month (€723k).

This clearly shows the massive difference in prize money for flat races compared to National Hunt contests.

Flat jockeys are understood to pocket 6.9% of prize money, while that figure is believed to be 8.5% for jumps riders.

But there won't be many more popular winners on the flat this season than A Case Of You, who is owned by Gary Devlin, and there were brilliant scenes of celebrations after his victory in Dubai.

Speaking after the race, McGuinness said: “Ronan, we call him Ronnie, is a world-class rider he’s proved it on this horse’s last two wins.

Ronan Whelan on A Case of You wins at Meydan (Getty Images)

“I told him we had to get out. We were behind the Godolphin horse, but we knew we had a huge help being on this side. His last furlong is his best, and even though the favourite was beside us we beat him well.

“It was soft ground when he won in Paris and quickish here, but good horses go on any ground.

“He will be ok over a fast five furlongs at Ascot (King’s Stand), but the big ones are the Abbaye and then the Breeders’ Cup at Keeneland where the five and a half furlongs with a bit of juice in the ground would be ideal.”

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