Cheltenham Festival 2021: Rachael Blackmore continues dream week with Ryanair Chase win

Victory never looked in doubt as the 3-1 favourite kept going to strike by 12 lengths from Joseph O’Brien’s Fakir D’oudairies, with Tornado Flyer half a length away in third

Rachael Blackmore celebrates with the trophy after winning the Ryanair Chase (PA)

Rachael Blackmore continued her dream week to give Willie Mullins a record fourth success in the Ryanair Chase at the Cheltenham Festival aboard Allaho.

The Cheveley Park Stud-owned seven-year-old simply ran his rivals into the ground from the off, with Blackmore making her intentions clear from flag-fall in setting a strong pace and putting the rest of the field under pressure.

Min, who won the race last year, tried to match his stablemate but was burned off from three out, where Allaho pulled clear of the opposition.

Victory never looked in doubt as the 3-1 favourite kept going to strike by 12 lengths from Joseph O’Brien’s Fakir D’oudairies, with Tornado Flyer half a length away in third for the Mullins stable and Amy Murphy’s Kalashnikov a creditable fourth.

Mullins said: “That was an awesome performance. I thought Min would go with him every step of the way but his jumping wasn’t up to scratch, we might have to look at that. Allaho did everything right. The first thing I did when Rachael came back was lift the number cloth to see if the lead was still in there as it looked like he was just carrying Rachael!

“He was just awesome, his galloping and jumping, if he puts the two together - I was hoping he could do that over three miles, but if he’s only a two-and-a-half-miler that will do me. I think aggressive tactics suit him, watching at home he just gallops and jumps.

Read more

• Cheltenham Festival 2021 results: Every winner and 1-2-3
• Jeremy Clarkson leads tributes to former Top Gear host Sabine Schmitz 
• Chris Kamara to undergo brain scan to test for dementia

“I was as gobsmacked as anyone watching it, I fully expected the two of them to collapse at the third-last but that is their style, we just had to hope one would be good enough. We might try three miles again, maybe the King George, we’ll see what connections think.”

Blackmore then went on to claim winner number five of the week with a sublime ride aboard Telmesomethinggirl in the Parnell Properties Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle.

After sitting towards the rear in the early stages, Telmesomethinggirl (5-1) made eyecatching progress on the run to the penultimate flight before accelerating past fellow Henry de Bromhead-trained runner Magic Daze, who had set out to make all.

Telmesomethinggirl fairly flew up the Cheltenham hill to beat her stable companion by five and a half lengths. Mighty Blue was third with bargain-buy Skyace - who cost just £600 - finishing fourth.

Blackmore said: “It’s overwhelming, to be honest. Henry’s done an unbelievable job with her, he always thought a lot of her and she showed it today. She’s got speed as well as everything else, she jumped brilliantly everywhere and she settled better than she had done before.

“I wish I could give you something really good, but I’m genuinely just so overwhelmed by these last few days. It’s all about the horses you’re getting on and I’ve just been so lucky to be riding for the people I’m riding for.”

PA