- Blackmore won two Grade 1s at Cheltenham 2024, including Champion Chase
- She will return to action at Thurles in Ireland on Saturday with four rides
- The 2022 Gold Cup winner’s rides include Ladybank, Lake Chad, and Well Polly
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 currently stands at £205,000 and is expected to reach £250,000 by Grand National Day, Saturday 13th April, when the fund will draw to a close.
Thurles Saturday
1.55 – Ladybank
Ladybank makes her debut over fences here, and drops back in trip. She ran in a handicap hurdle over two miles and six and a half furlongs at Naas the last day, and she didn’t see it out. She travelled well for a long way, but she just didn’t get home.
She dead-heated with Princess Zoe to win her maiden hurdle at Punchestown over two and a half miles at Punchestown last January, and this is a good trip for her for her debut over fences. She’s in great form at home, and we are looking forward to getting her out over fences now.
Rachael Blackmore will move on from a strong 2024 Cheltenham Festival to action at Thurles
3.30 – Lake Chad
I have picked up the ride on Lake Chad in the handicap chase. He is so consistent, he always runs his race.
He ran well to finish second in a ladies’ handicap hurdle at Thurles last time over just over two miles, keeping on well to the line.
He is going back over fences here, and he is stepping back up in trip to an extended two and a half miles, which should suit. He goes well at Thurles too, he has run there three times and he has run well on all three occasions. I hope that he can be in the shake-up.
4.15 – Summerville Boy
Summerville Boy won this race last year, he made all and he kept on strongly to hold off a challenge from Asterion Forlonge.
He is 12 now, but he still has so much enthusiasm for racing. He ran really well behind Monkfish in the Galmoy Hurdle at Gowran last time, and we’re looking forward to him here. It’s a good race, it usually is, but I hope that Summerville Boy can go well again.
Summerville Boy is 12 years old but still has bags of enthusiasm for racing, and should do well at Thurles on Saturday
4.50 – Well Polly
I ride Well Polly in the handicap hurdle. She was well beaten in a beginners’ chase at Cork last time over two and a half miles, but she is back up in trip here to two miles and seven furlongs, and back over hurdles.
She will handle conditions and she has a light weight on her back. I rode her to finish second in a handicap hurdle at Clonmel in the early part of last season, and hopefully she can run well here.