Rachael Blackmore's boyfriend Brian Hayes has given an insight into his role in helping her make her breakthrough in the sport.
A re-run of the popular documentary Rachael Blackmore: A Grand Year aired tonight on RTE Two after its original release on Wednesday.
The show followed Blackmore's sensational career that has saw her crowned champion jockey in the Cheltenham Festival before winning the Grand National the following month in 2021.
In the documentary, Blackmore explained that as she gained valuable experience in point-to-point rides as an amateur jockey as she was on the look out for rides in ladies races.
And Blackmore explained how she made a habit of 'chancing her arm' as she rang trainers to get on board entries for weekend races.
And one week, she rang trainer John 'Shark' Hanlon to ride Stowaway Pearl in the Tipperary Ladies' Handicap Hurdle at Thurles back in February 2011.
However, Shark turned down Blackmore's request to ride the horse, claiming he was 'fixed-up'.
But Hayes, working in Shark's yard at the time, stepped in: "I remember being in the yard and Shark saying to me he's not going to bother running that horse in that race because he can't get anyone good to ride it.
"So I rang Rachael myself and said Shark's running a horse there and we can't get anyone to ride it, maybe she can give him a ring."
Blackmore continued: "I said I'm already after ringing him and he said he was fixed-up."
Hayes added: "So I just said no he doesn't, he just said that because he doesn't know you - I think she rang Davy Russell then."
The Tipp jockey rang jockey Russell, who helped convince the trainer to take a chance on her for the race.
And Blackmore came through as she claimed her first-ever success, kickstarting a fruitful partnership with Hanlon as her career kicked off.
RTE viewers were quick to praise the documentary when it originally aired.
One social media user wrote: "What a sportsperson #RachaelBlackmore is. Excellent documentary on her career to date and covering her exceptional 2021"
While another said: "Great documentary about Rachael Blackmore on RTE tonight. Always enjoy her interviews. What a phenomenal sportsperson. She has done so much for racing. An inspiration for young sportswomen too!"
And another added: "That was a superb watch well done to all involved. What an amazing sportsperson Rachael is and to see the way the other jockeys speak of her is fantastic. She deserves all the plaudits"
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