RACHAEL BLACKMORE is set to ride again at the Grand National, despite being hit with a suspension for breaking rules at the Cheltenham Festival.
The 35-year-old became the first female jockey to win the Gold Cup in 2022, storming home by 15 lengths with A Plus Tard.
Rachael and Minella Times then caught the attention of worldwide media when the pair won the 2021 Grand National.
The Irish jockey will be hoping to build on her success this year with Minella Indo, as they target some of the big races at this year’s Festival.
Unfortunately, she won’t be riding alongside her boyfriend, fellow jockey Brian Hayes, this year.
Who is Rachael Blackmore’s boyfriend?
The record-breaking female jockey is in a relationship with fellow rider Brian Hayes.
He was born in July 1988 and was brought up in Rosscarberry, County Cork.
Brian rode his first racecourse winner on Grancore Girl at Clonmel back in March 2008.
Just 13 days later, the pair were back in the winners’ enclosure at Limerick.
He kicked off his professional career with a win on Ardglen, trained by Shark Hanlon, at Listowel on 23rd September 2011.
He didn’t waste any time getting a second, scoring again on the same horse at Clonmel just two days later.
One of Brian’s biggest career highlights came in 2017 when he rode Conduct Yourself, trained by John Kiely, to victory in the Easter Handicap Hurdle at Cork.
A year earlier, he picked up another strong handicap hurdle win on Ancient Sands at Killarney.
And back in 2015, he partnered the talented Hidden Cyclone, who was also trained by Shark Hanlon, to land the Grade 2 thetote.com Fortria Chase at Navan.
Blackmore and Hayes have been dating for a couple of years now.
In an interview with the Guardian in 2020, Patrick Mullins revealed the two were dating.
He said: “When I moved in with her and her boyfriend, Brian Hayes, myself and Brian would have been going racing most days.
Grand National winning jockey Rachael Blackmore, and her boyfriend Brian Hayes = taken from net Instagram / Brian HayesBrian won Cheltenham with Impervious in 2023[/caption] Linden Arden and Brian Hayes won the SIS Handicap Steeplechase in Limerick in March 2025RACINGFOTOS.COM“Rachael wasn’t. She used to do a lot of baking on those days – which was like her way of punching the wall.”
During her 2021 appearance on Doireann Garrihy’s Laughs Of Your Life podcast, she said: “I live with two other jockeys, Patrick Mullins and Brian Hayes.
“I am going out with Brian Hayes, so there are three of us here. It is a great house to live in and it is in a really good location in Leighlinbridge in Carlow.”
Brian rode many horses at last year’s Cheltenham Festival.
He rode Adamantly Chosen, Dads Lad, Chapeau De Soleil and Cinsa so far, and they are all trained by Willie Mullins.
Brian even competed against girlfriend Rachael in last year’s Grand National, riding Mr Incredible at Aintree.
It appears Brian is not riding at the 2025 Grand National.
Rachael will still be eligible to participate in the Grand National despite receiving a whip ban at the Cheltenham Festival.
The panel considered Blackmore’s record of more than 75 rides in Great Britain since her last whip breach, which led to the mitigation on her penalty.
Nonetheless, as the breach took place in a Class 1 race, the penalty for exceeding the permitted level was doubled.
As a result, she was given a six-day suspension, which runs from Friday, March 28, to Wednesday, April 2, 2025, inclusive.
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