'Honeysuckle has never let me down, I can't see why this year will be different'

Rachael Blackmore has unwavering faith in Honeysuckle's ability to keep winning and believes there are not many horses in training with an engine like Bob Olinger's as last year's leading rider looks forward to another enviable book of rides at next month's Cheltenham Festival.

However, just because she owned the place last year with six winners does not mean Blackmore will return with a different mindset this time around. The mantra remains the same – one winner and anything else is a bonus.

Blackmore's heroics at the 2021 festival, combined with her Grand National success on Minella Times, saw her crowned Irish Sportsperson of the Year and BBC's World Sports Star of the Year, and she is well aware that such success increases expectations ahead of her return to the big banquet in the Cotswolds next month.

"The expectation is there, but I know how hard it is to get winners at Cheltenham," she said. "I'm going there in the same mind frame as I do every year and just hoping to ride one winner. That's the same mind frame I'm going back with. You're trying to get over there and get one winner and see what happens after that then."

When asked whether her exploits at last year's festival had sunk in yet, Blackmore replied: "We're already talking about Cheltenham and Aintree again so what happened last year seems to be fading a bit now. It's probably something that will really sink in when you've got grey hair and you can really enjoy what happened.

"I suppose when I came back home and was driving through my home town of Killenaule and I could see posters in the windows of people's homes and it was my face on the posters, it really resonated with me then what the achievements meant to the people where I'm from.

"It's a constant revolving wheel, though, and as a jockey you're always looking forward. You're looking on to this year's festival and it's always what's next. That's the way it is as a jockey."

Rachael is now a household name, and was crowned RTE Sport Sportsperson of the Year in 2021Credit: Naoise Culhane

Honeysuckle certainly didn't spend too long dwelling on her explosive victory in last year's Champion Hurdle as she has returned this season to complete hat-tricks in the Hatton's Grace Hurdle and Irish Champion Hurdle. Were she to do the business next month, she would become the first mare to win two Champion Hurdles.

"Honeysuckle has never let me down to this day and I can't see why this year will be any different," she said.

Reflecting on last year's win in the race, she added: "That was absolutely massive. To win a Champion Hurdle on Honeysuckle was such a pinnacle for me. It's a great help when something like that happens on the Tuesday, it takes a bit of pressure off for the rest of the week so we'll be trying our best to do the same again this year."

Which horses could Rachael Blackmore be riding at the 2022 Cheltenham Festival?

Bob Olinger was breathtaking in last year's Ballymore, brushing aside Bravemansgame coming down the hill in the style of a superstar.

The Turners Novices' Chase had looked a penalty kick for him all season, but not now after Willie Mullins revealed it is where Galopin Des Champs will be heading too.

"I've been extremely happy with him," replied Blackmore when asked what she has made of Bob Olinger's transition to fences.

"Obviously he's got the two options [Turners and Brown Advisory] and Henry will make the call on that but, yes, I'd be very happy with him. I think his jumping is improving the whole time and he's a horse with a serious engine and one that I'm very lucky to get to ride."

Bob Olinger: Blackmore has been very happy with his progress over fences so farCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

The sight of Blackmore and Bob Olinger breezing by Bravemansgame was arguably the wow moment of the 2021 festival, and the woman on board admitted it felt pretty good.

"It was an incredible feeling," she stressed. "There's not too many out there with an engine like him and I'm very lucky to get to ride him."

Blackmore could have ridden Minella Indo in last year's Gold Cup, but she instead opted for runner-up A Plus Tard, who is favourite to go one better this time around.

She said: "I'm very, very lucky in the horses I have to ride for that week. The Gold Cup is obviously a race I got wrong last year so hopefully we can amend that.

"I haven't spoken to Henry and confirmed anything with him yet. We're still three weeks out and those conversations will happen in the next three weeks."

Blackmore will be hoping the result of the Gold Cup will be different this year and another thing that will be very different is the atmosphere at the festival with crowds set to return. Among that crowd will be sister Charlotte.

"My sister asked me for tickets for Thursday and Friday and I said 'Yeah, yeah, no problem, how many do you need?' And she said ten for each day! So she's definitely coming over with a battalion of people and hopefully my Mam and Dad will get over for a day as well.

"I'm really looking forward to it. As the time ticks closer, you just can't wait for things to kick off on the Tuesday. The build-up is really starting to get going now."

Rachael Blackmore details

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