Rachael Blackmore lifts lid on post-retirement summer plans: 'I just want to enjoy the normal stuff'

Rachael Blackmore has opened up about her plans for the summer, after announcing the jockey announced her retirement last month.

The jockey announced in May that after 16 years, she would be stepping down from her successful career that saw her win 18 titles at the Cheltenham Festival.

She is looking forward to a relaxed summer as she plans to jet off on holiday soon.

“I’m actually looking forward to opening a wedding invite and not having to check the date against the racing calendar,” she said. “And doing something nice for my birthday, which is coming up soon. But first – I’m going on holiday.”

Speaking to Evoke, the Tipperary native added: “I just want to enjoy the normal stuff of life for a while. And yes, I’ll be thinking of what’s in store.

“I’ll never be able to find something that’s going to replace the joy that riding winners gave me. But if I can find something that gives me half as much pleasure, that will do.”

Rachael noted that as a jockey, the sport was always the number one thing in her life.

“When you’re racing, it’s the number one priority in your life. Your whole day revolves around riding out and the next competition,” she said. “Racing never felt like a job, because I loved what I was doing so much so nothing felt ever felt like a massive sacrifice.”

It comes as Rachael recently admitted that making the decision to retire was “agony”, and she first considered it after Cheltenham this year.

She told Betfair : “It all just kind of happened when it happened. I think at Cheltenham this year on the Friday, just when I was leaving the weighroom, for the first time I just kind of had a little thought in my head ‘will I be back here next season?’

“It’s the first time that ever crept into my head. I didn’t know really why but I just sort of said to myself, leave it til June and get to the jockey’s break in June and I’ll take some time then and think about it.”

But Rachael decided to call time on her career on May 12th, two days after victory in Cork riding Ma Belle Etoile, trained by Henry de Bromhead.

She continued: “I was just going to Cork the other day and I thought to myself if this one wins maybe that’s the time to call it and she won and in my own head I thought ‘I think that’s it’.

“I just needed to talk out loud about it first before I made any announcements or anything. I’d just digest that to myself. And on Sunday morning I just said I think that’s going to be it.”