‘I’ll always be grateful’: life-changing Grand National hero bows out
(Image credit: PA)
Minella Times, the horse Rachael Blackmore rode to victory in the 2021 Grand National as the first female to win the race (pictured, right), has been retired from racing.
The Henry De Bromhead-trained 10-year-old, who is owned by JP McManus, was a six-and-a-half-length winner of the 2021 Grand National and was being prepared for another attempt in the race this April when he experienced a setback.
Henry said: “He suffered a setback yesterday so we have taken the decision to retire him.
“He absolutely loved it at Aintree. He’d had a really good season coming up to it, having been placed in a couple of really competitive handicap chases, and the McManuses were keen to go for the race. It was an amazing day and one of our best.
“Winning any of those big races is incredible, but the National was an amazing day in its own right and the fact that Rachael was the first woman to win the race made it even better. Winning the race for the McManuses was wonderful, especially as they’ve been involved in the game for so long.”
Minella Times, who is by Oscar, retires having won four races from 26 starts under Rules and earned £486,876 in prize money during his career, but was pulled up in both of his starts this season.
Rachael said: “He’s such a special horse for me and he gave me the best day in racing that I’ve had – and there’s a lot of hot competition for that!
“It was such an incredible day and you just have so much gratitude for the horse when they give you something like he did. It was an incredible day and to be able to do it in the colours of JP McManus and for Henry just made it even more special. He’s always been a yard favourite I think and Henry and all the team have done such an incredible job with him to achieve that, so I’ll always be so grateful to Henry and everyone down there for what they did in getting him to win the race.”
Recalling her success in 2021, she said: “He was just such a fabulous jumper. He jumped so well from fence to fence. Obviously we got a lot of luck in the race and got a beautiful passage throughout, so luck was definitely on our side and you need that in a Grand National.
“He’s just such an intelligent horse and it was such an enjoyable race to ride in, aside from going over the line which took it to a whole different stratosphere. Actually riding in the race was electric and jockeys always say that just getting around in the National gives you a bit of a kick and it’s true, there’s something different about it. I already had that buzz from him, it’s an incredible feeling to get round, so to actually win the race was incredible.”
Rachael added that Minella Times would have a “wonderful” retirement, in Martinstown, JP McManus’ Irish stud.
“I went to see him in the summer of 2021 and they definitely pull out all the stops down there,” she said.
You might also be interested in:
‘I don’t feel male or female right now — I don’t feel human’: Rachael Blackmore becomes the first ever woman to win the Grand National
Rachael Blackmore becomes first female to claim Cheltenham Festival leading jockey title
Honeysuckle’s ‘diva’ tendencies and how going cross-country brought Grand National runner-up to life: meet Henry de Bromhead’s Irish superstars
Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round
TOPICS
