History was made yesterday evening as Rachael Blackmore became the first female rider to win the Aintree Grand National.
The Killenaule native, who was this year’s leading jockey at Cheltenham, was onboard Minella Times for a famous victory.
While Rachael Blackmore continued her special year, so did a Tipperary trainer.
John Nallen, of Hotel Minella in Clonmel, is a former owner of the winner of yesterday’s historic Grand National in Aintree, Minella Times.
The win comes just weeks after Minella Indo, another one of John’s former horses, won the Cheltenham Gold Cup and also comes on the day one of John’s horses, Minella Crooners won a point-to-point race in Cork,
An ecstatic John spoke to Tipp FM moments after yesterday’s win in Aintree:
“Unbelievable. for Rachael to ride the winner, it’s just unbelievable.
“The McManus family, they’re after supporting me so much and for them to win the National with him, I’m on cloud 77.
“After Rachael picking the wrong one at the Gold Cup she got the right one this time, it was brilliant.
“For her family and everyone in Tipperary, it’s an unbelievable Tipperary story.”
