12 April 2023 , 11:26
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History maker Rachael Blackmore will ride the Henry de Bromhead-trained Ain’t That A Shame in the Randox Grand National.
Blackmore became the first female jockey to ride the winner of the £1 million race when she struck on the JP McManus-owned Minella Times at Aintree two years ago.
Ain’t That A Shame, owned by Robcour, is novice, like last year’s winner Noble Yeats, who won for the first time over fences at Gowran Park in March.
He is a 22-1 chance with William Hill to give Blackmore her second victory on her fifth ride in the marathon. She was brought down on Minella Times 12 months ago.
Blackmore recently relived her historic victory for Betfair, and said: “You need luck in a race like this. It either falls your way or it doesn’t. I feel I had the luck the whole way round.
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“I was really enjoying riding him in this race and it is always more enjoyable when they jump like he does. Looking back on it now, I find a lot of enjoyment watching it. That is such a thrill for a jockey to ride a horse that jumps over those fences like he does.
“I could hear the commentator saying I was six lengths or something in front and then, I had a brief moment - Minella Times was still galloping and if I am this far in front and the line is that close - I could get there, but you don’t let yourself believe it until you actually do get there,
“When you get across the line in the Gold Cup, you feel a bit of relief. Whereas here, there was no relief, I genuinely felt like I was going to burst.
“You can be on the best horse in the Grand National but you need so much in your favour to be able to win a race like this. There are 40 runners, 30 jumps, over four miles, there is so much you need to go your way to be the lucky one to get across the line first.”
Grand National betting (William Hill): 13-2 Corach Rambler, 7 Delta Work, 8 Noble Yeats, 14 Any Second Now, Gaillard Du Mesnil, Mr Incredible, 16 Le Milos, Longhouse Poet, 20 Capodanno, Galvin, Our Power, 22 Ain't That A Shame, Vanillier, 25 bar