Rachael Blackmore

Rachael Blackmore: Looking forward to Cork Grand National aboard Walk Away

Betfair Ambassador Rachael Blackmore
Rachael Blackmore has five chances at Cork on Sunday

Rachael Blackmore has five chances at Cork on Sunday including a strong contender in the Cork Grand National, and here the Betfair Ambassador discusses each of her quintet...

  • Five chances for Rachael Blackmore at Cork

  • Banprionsa looks a lovely big mare and track should suit

  • Walk Away in great form ahead of Cork Grant National


11:50 - Picture Of You

I ride Picture Of You in the opening race at Cork on Sunday, the first division of the four-year-old maiden hurdle, and she goes there with her chance.

She ran twice on the flat last autumn, and she was well beaten in both races, but she seems to jump hurdles well, so hopefully she can be better over hurdles. Nothing about her flat form would excite you too much, but we have been happy with her at home, and hopefully hurdles can bring about improvement in her.

She is a well-bred filly, her grandam is Bright Sky, who won the French Oaks and the Prix de l'Opera, and it will be interesting to see how she goes now on her debut over hurdles.

12:20 - Rosalys

I ride Rosalys in the second division of the four-year-old maiden hurdle. She won a mares' bumper at Huntingdon last February for Emma Lavelle on her racecourse debut, and she ran well in a maiden hurdle at Navan in September on her first run for Henry.

We were happy with that run, she kept on to finish fourth behind a well-regarded horse of Peter Fahey's, Toto Too, and the filly who finished just behind us, Faux Fur, won her maiden hurdle at Tramore a few weeks ago.

Rosalys should improve for that experience, and she is in great order at home.

13:30 - Banprionsa

Banprionsa looks like a lovely mare. She was an easy winner of her only point-to-point for Richard Black in March, and she has been working nicely at home of late.

She is a lovely recruit for Kenny Alexander, she is a nicely-bred mare, a half-sister to West With The Wind, a Grade 3 winner over fences. She is quite a big mare too, she has a big stride, so a galloping track like Cork should suit her well.

15:15 - Walk Away

It was a pity that Walk Away missed the Munster National at Limerick with a stone bruise, he had been in really good form at home and we were looking forward to running him there. But he remains in great form, so we are looking forward to seeing how he will go in the Cork Grand National.

He has had his problems, but he is a talented individual. He finished fourth behind Champ in the Sefton Hurdle at Aintree when he was a novice hurdler, he finished second to Faugheen in his beginners' chase, and he finished third behind Allaho in his beginners' chase.

He hasn't run since May, but he ran well then, in a beginners' chase at Tipperary, to finish second to Maxxum. That was his first run since he had finished second behind Asterion Forlonge in a good handicap chase at the 2021 Punchestown Festival.

He has run some very nice races, and there could be a big race in him. He is lightly raced for his age and I think that he will stay the distance. I'm looking forward to riding him.

15:50 - Como Park

I hope that Como Park has a big day in him too. He ran well the last day at Punchestown, maybe he didn't jump fantastic, but that was his first run in a handicap, so hopefully he can jump better now.

He is only four and he has only run four times over hurdles, so I hope that he can improve from his run the last day and hopefully will be in the shake-up.


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