Blackmore is on the Ball with Bell

Rachael Blackmore is just one winner away from riding out her claim over jumps after being seen to great effect aboard Bell Of The Ball in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares Handicap Hurdle at Downpatrick.

Blackmore created history last season when becoming the first female to be crowned the champion conditional rider, and showed here just why she is held in such high regard.

She sent the Liam Lennon-trained mare past the front-running My Pollyanna after the penultimate and soon built up a lead that proved crucial in the closing stages.

The seven-year-old, available at 16/1 earlier in the day and backed on track from 12/1 into 8/1, needed a strong drive inside the final furlong to hold on by half a length from Pat’s Pearl. Strike Is Back also kept on well just another three quarters of a length away in third.

Lennon said, "She's had her wee issues. We have her in foal now, she's in foal to Court Cave so I think probably that could be the turning point.

"I was using Rachael at the start before anybody knew her in point-to-points and stuff. It's good to have her again, and it's good to be able to get her. She was always confident today. There's only so much petrol in the tank - I turned away!"

(MG & AM)