National hero Minella Times retired after suffering setback

Rachael Blackmore hailed Minella Times as “as a special horse” after the horse who helped her make history as the first female jockey to win the Grand National was retired.

The JP McManus-owned gelding, who won the Aintree showpiece in 2021, had been assessed by the handicapper, allocated a weight and was due to run on April 15th.

However, it emerged this morning (Tuesday) that despite remaining in the official list of Randox Grand National entries, connections have taken the decision to retire him with immediate effect.

Jockey Rachael Blackmore 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 (de Bromhead, trainer) 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 went on: “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.”

While Minella Times has now finished his racing career, Blackmore is in no doubt the pair will keep in touch.

She added: “He’s going to have a very well deserved and wonderful retirement in Martinstown. I went to see him in the summer of 2021 and they definitely pull out all the stops down there.

“It’s a wonderful place for him to go and enjoy his retirement. It’s very well deserved and I’ll definitely be calling down to see him!

“I think that day did change my life. I didn’t realise the scope of the Grand National or the reach that the race has until afterwards, it really does hit different parts of the world that other races perhaps don’t. Outside the racing bubble it hits a lot of people and when you’re walking in today and you’re seeing replays of all the old races playing in the background, it’s just an incredible race and it’s a privilege to be a part of its history now.”

Asked how it might feel to win the race for a second time on another horse, she continued: “God, imagine if I ever have to say that Minella Times was my first and something else was my second! It’s just such a special race and that feeling when you cross the line was incredible.

“I’ve said before that maybe it’s because you don’t quite have the same pressure going into the race as you do maybe going into other races – but I wish I could describe it better how it feels to cross the line and be the winner of a Grand National. It’s so far removed from what I ever thought could be achieved.

“Just riding in the race is an achievement for any jockey and then to get around is another. You just feel so lucky to be able to say that you’ve won it, there’s only one person every year that can say that and I’m just so grateful that I’m one of those people and that JP McManus and Henry gave me the opportunity to ride him in the race. Henry had the horse who was second as well in Balko Des Flos, so I was definitely riding for the right stable that day! I feel so lucky to have had the association with him.

“I’m still in that forward-looking motion as a jockey, in that you’re not dwelling too much on what’s happened in a way. Time just moves forward and you’re looking away so I probably haven’t let it all sink in yet.”

Asked whether she knows what she might now ride in this year’s race, she added: “I don’t know where I’d be leaning at the moment. I haven’t really discussed it with Henry yet to be honest.

“Minella Times is still very recent news so we haven’t had a chat. We’ll see after today what way things will work. Some of those horses are running at Cheltenham and so on so we’ll make a plan in the coming weeks.”

Paying his own tribute to Minella Times, trainer Henry de Bromhead said of the 10 year old: “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 (Blackmore, jockey) 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.

“We were bang in the middle of Covid lockdown when we won, unfortunately, but the media attention was still massive. I think RTE had to get permission to come to us a couple of days later and there was a lot of coverage around Minella Times.

“He’ll have a well deserved retirement at Martinstown now.”

Jockey Blackmore also spoke today of her chances of more success at the Cheltenham Festival next month, with big rides on Honeysuckle and A Plus Tard among others in the pipeline.

She said: “I don’t think there will ever be a day that you ride Honeysuckle without pressure. Obviously we haven’t seen A Plus Tard (since the Betfair Chase at Haydock Park in November), but I have no doubt that Henry will have him in tip top shape.

“I think you always feel pressure when you’re going to Cheltenham and riding for Henry de Bromhead, you’re getting to ride very good horses. Henry hasn’t brought them there for the fun and you’re just hoping to get some success out of the week.

“I thought she (Honeysuckle) ran an incredible race (at Leopardstown), she just wasn’t as good as State Man on the day but she still ran really well and she still feels really well. She feels like a racehorse and feels brilliant and the reality of it was that she just wasn’t good enough to beat State Man.

“If she didn’t feel fantastic we wouldn’t be bringing her and it’s really exciting to be going over there with her again and it’s going to be a really fantastic race. It’s going to be so competitive, so we’ll see what happens.

“I suppose when you’re so used to winning on her and it doesn’t happen, we’re all competitive people and that’s what we want to do. She’s been an incredible mare for me in my career and hopefully the book hasn’t closed just yet and there’s another chapter to write.”