Rachael Blackmore: Horse racing's quiet pioneer who has shattered another glass ceiling

Blackmore became the first female jockey to win the Champion Hurdle as she guided Honeysuckle to a brilliant victory at Cheltenham

Rachael Blackmore onboard Honeysuckle celebrates after victory in the Unibet Champion Hurdle Challenge Trophy (Grade 1) during day one of the Cheltenham Festival at Cheltenham Racecourse. Picture: Michael Steele/PA

Daughter of a dairy farmer and a school teacher, Rachael Blackmore is something of an accidental trailblazer.

Just the second woman to hold a professional licence in Irish National Hunt racing, Blackmore’s star has been firmly in the ascendant since she took the plunge and made the switch from the amateur ranks in March 2015.