Profile: Rachael Blackmore, winner all right

The first woman ever to win the Grand National was an unlikely contender when she turned pro six years ago, but now it looks like she may have the power even to heal the bruised reputation of Irish horse racing

Champion jockey Rachael Blackmore: herself expected that she would become a vet, until her first win in a pony race at the age of 13

In brief:

Name and role: Rachael Blackmore, jockey

Age: 32

Appearance: Frequently mud-splattered, but always smiling

Newsworthiness: the jockey was named world sport star of the year by the BBC last week, just 24 hours after winning the RTÉ sportsperson of the year award

In depth:

Rachael Blackmore was born into a family with a love of things equine: she grew up on a farm in Killenaule in Co Tipperary, and owned her first horse, ...