Rachael Blackmore’s Cheltenham Gold Cup victory voted most iconic in race’s history

With the Cheltenham Gold Cup celebrating its 100th anniversary this year, Blackmore’s 2020 has topped a Betfair poll of more than 1,000 sports fans

Rachael Blackmore’s Cheltenham Gold Cup victory aboard A Plus Tard in 2022 has been voted the most iconic in its 100-year history.

Blackmore’s triumph saw her become the first female jockey to ever win the prestigious race and followed her history-making success in the Grand National the previous year.

A poll conducted by YouGOV on behalf of Betfair asked more than 1,000 sports fans to pick their most memorable moment from the great race.

And Blackmore finished ahead of the equine winners of the race such as Arkle, Desert Orchid, Kauto Star and Denman.

The survey has been launched alongside a short film called Icons of the Gold Cup, to promote Rachael Blackmore’s Serial Winners fund, which is raising money for the Injured Jockeys Fund and Irish Injured Jockeys.

Launched with an initial donation of £100,000, the pot has risen to £180,000 with £5,000 is added to the fund by Betfair any time Blackmore rides a winner up to Grand National Day. The amount has been doubled for any Cheltenham Festival win.

With A Plus Tard retired, Blackmore is set to ride 50-1 outsider Jungle Boogie for trainer Henry de Bromhead in this year’s Gold Cup.

“The Gold Cup is just such a special race,” she told Betfair. “It's one as a jockey that you'd love to ride in someday and to be able to say you've won it is just incredibly special.

“There’s been 100 years of Gold Cup history, and I’d love to make some more.”