Rachael Blackmore feels horse racing sees beyond gender after she took Cheltenham by storm last week.
The Tipperary jockey became the first woman to win the top jockey award at the Festival.
Her six winners haul included victories in the Champion Hurdle and the Ryanair Chase - two of the biggest races of the meeting.
But the 31-year-old feels that the path for female jockeys had already been opened for her by the likes of Nina Carberry and Katie Walsh.
Blackmore told RTE's Morning Ireland: "When I came into racing, Nina and Katie had already broken that for me.
"They never made a big deal out of it. I just continued on with their ethos. I feel inside of racing it's not a big deal.
"On the outside world it is. We're lucky to be involved in a sport where gender isn't an issue and I'm very grateful for racing in that sense."
The ever-modest rider is always keen to play down her part in a horse's victory. But the fact that she also fell to the turf four times during the four-day meeting highlights the thin line between triumph and disaster in the sport.
"If you are a jockey and thinking what could go wrong, it's probably time not to be a jockey," she said.
"Being fearful is not something you can have on your brain.
"Touch wood I have been very lucky with injuries. We have a very good medical team - Dr Jennifer Pugh keeps us sound. She did a great job in bringing us over to Cheltenham under very strict Covid protocols."
While the sporting world rushed to congratulate the rider for her phenomenal success, Blackmore was back to her day job at Thurles and Downpatrick racecourses over the weekend.
She said: "That's the life that a jockey leads. We were straight back into it. When you come back from Cheltenham with winners under your belt it's a lot easier to float around the place.
"It's hard to comprehend the last few days. I was heading over with a very good book of rides.
"But Cheltenham is an extremely hard place to win, we know that. It's all been a bit of a whirlwind."
Blackmore is not looking back with big meetings at Fairyhouse, Aintree and Punchestown on the horizon.
And her advice is clear to any young riders who were inspired by her heroics at Cheltenham.
She added: "When I was in the pony club I never thought I would be 'the' Rachael Blackmore. Dream big, it can be achieved.
"If you work hard and get the opportunity, anything can happen."
