Rachael Blackmore on her seven rides this weekend at Gowran Park and Punchestown as she looks to add more money to the Betfair Serial Winners Fund


Betfair launched its one-of-a-kind charity initiative, the ‘Rachael Blackmore – Serial Winners Fund’, to benefit both the ‘Injured Jockey Fund’ and the ‘Irish Injured Jockeys’ on Betfair Chase Day last November.

They kicked-off the fund with an initial £100,000 donation and add a further £5,000 every time Rachael Blackmore rides a winner. The fund is expected to reach £250,000 by Grand National Day, Saturday, April 13, when the fund will draw to a close.

It was a quite week for Rachael but with a busy book of rides across Saturday and Sunday she will be hoping to add to the ‘Betfair Serial Winners Fund’ which currently stands at £160,000.

Rachael Blackmore a busy book of rides this weekend at Gowran Park and Punchestown

Rachael Blackmore a busy book of rides this weekend at Gowran Park and Punchestown

Gowran Park, Saturday

2.17 – Lantry Lady

I’m really looking forward to riding Lantry Lady in the Red Mills Trial Hurdle at Gowran on Saturday. She hasn’t run in a while, not since she won her maiden hurdle on her racecourse debut at Gowran last March. She was impressive in winning that day, she came clear of Silent Approach, who is a Grade 2 winner over fences this season.

She’s in great order at home, and the fact that she’s a winner around Gowran is obviously a plus. She should handle the ground, and we’re looking forward to seeing how she goes.

2.52 – Atimetodream

Atimetodream will be having her first run here since November, when she finished well down the field in a mares’ handicap hurdle at Thurles. She ran no kind of race that day, it just wasn’t her running.

She is better judged on the performance that she put up in winning a handicap hurdle at the Listowel Festival in September, and I hope that she can bounce back to that type of form now. She seems to be well after her break, and she is in good form at home. She is a nicely-bred mare and we think that she has more progression in her.

4.35 – Aslukwoodhavit

Aslukwoodhavit was well beaten in the race that Quilixios won at Naas last time, but that was a classy race, and he just didn’t jump as well as he can.

He jumped very well on his chasing debut at Punchestown in November when he was an impressive winner of his beginners’ chase. Hopefully he will be able to continue to progress now over fences. He’ll love the ground, and he’s another that we are looking forward to.

Blackmore has three rides at Gowran Park on Saturday including Atimetodream

Blackmore has three rides at Gowran Park on Saturday including Atimetodream

Her four Sunday rides at Punchestown include Arctic Bresil, Senior Chief and Queen Jane

Her four Sunday rides at Punchestown include Arctic Bresil, Senior Chief and Queen Jane

Punchestown, Sunday

1.35 – Arctic Bresil

Arctic Bresil was running a nice race at Gowran last time until he made a mistake at the fourth last fence, just at the wrong time in the race. He got back into the race, he was right there at the second last fence, but he weakened from there.

He has lots of ability, but he just hasn’t put it all together since he won his maiden hurdle last season. He is lightly raced though, so he still has lots of potential to improve, and I hope that he can go well here.

2.05 – Senior Chief

Senior Chief did well the last day at Navan. He just couldn’t go with Minella Cocooner after he made a mistake at the second last fence, but he wasn’t beaten far in the end, and he finished well clear of the rest.

That was just his second run over fences, it was a step up on his previous run behind Gaelic Warrior and Inothewayurthinkin at Punchestown, and I hope that he can step up again. He won over two and a half miles and over two miles and six furlongs on heavy ground last season over hurdles, he won the two-and-a-half-mile maiden hurdle on this card last year, the 3.40, so this should be a good distance for him over fences.

2.35 – Queen Jane

Queen Jane is stepping right up in trip here for the Grand National Trial, but that shouldn’t be a problem for her. She stays well.

She stayed on well to run Brides Hill to a head in a two-and-a-half-mile mares’ handicap chase at Fairyhouse in December, and she was unlucky to be brought down in the Tim Duggan Chase at Limerick over Christmas.

I schooled her the other day and she jumped well, she seems to have bounced back well after Limerick. Conditions should suit her well and we’re hopeful of a big run.

3.40 – Majestic Force

Majestic Force looks like a nice mare, she seems very straightforward at home.

She won her point-to-point by almost 30 lengths on yielding to soft ground, and she is a half-sister to Our Friend, who won on heavy ground as well as on goodish ground, so hopefully she will be okay in the conditions. She has schooled well at home, and we’re looking forward to getting her going.



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