Grand National’s Most Iconic Women: Riders, Trainers, and Owners

Winning the Grand National is the pinnacle of any jockey’s career. Even in retirement, when asked about their greatest victories, Ruby Walsh, Barry Geraghty, and AP McCoy all stated that winning the Grand National was their greatest achievement.

And it’s easy to see why. A notoriously difficult race to even complete, winning it instantly propels you into the history books.

Up until 2021 those history books were still missing one vital record – a female winning jockey.

Despite the fact that race has been in action since the 1800s, only one woman has ever ridden the winner. That was Rachael Blackmore on Minella Times in 2021.

It may even surprise you to know that the first woman didn’t actually ride in the race until 1977. That was Charlotte Brew on Barony Fort, and even then it was The Sex Discrimination Act 1975 that made it possible for her to enter the race.

Far more female jockeys have since followed in her footsteps. Of those Rachael Blackmore, Nina Carberry and Katie Walsh are the most well-known know and both hold their own records in the race.

Behind the scenes, female trainers have made a significant impact on the Grand National.

Jenny Pitman pioneered this change in 1983 when she became the first woman to train a Grand National winner with Corbiere, a feat she repeated in 1995 with Royal Athlete.

Her success opened doors for other female trainers, such as Venetia Williams, who not only rode in the race but also trained the 100-1 shot Mon Mome to victory in 2009.

Sue Smith and Lucinda Russell further cemented women’s place in the Grand National by training Auroras Encore, One for Arthur and Corach Rambler.

So, today we’re going to go back through the list of women (alphabetically as they are all equally wonderful) who have deservedly grabbed the headlines over the nearly 50 years since Charlotte Brew made her debut.

Rachael Blackmore (Jockey)

Rachael Blackmore is an Irish jockey who is one of the best in the racing industry. She started out as an amateur jockey before becoming a professional in 2015.

In the 2018 Grand National she made her debut in what was a historic moment as, for the first time in 30 years, at least three female jockeys will saddled up for the iconic race.

She was given the ride on the Mouse Morris trained Alpha Des Obeaux, and joined Katie Walsh and Bryony Frost for the Aintree marathon.

To that point, it had really only been about eight years that female jockeys were consistently been represented with either Nina Carberry and/or Katie Walsh taking part every year since 2010.

And while it was worth celebrating, it wasn’t the first time in history that it happened. In 1988 Penny Ffitch-Heyes, Venetia Williams and Gee Armytage all took to the notoriously difficult fences but unfortunately none made it around the course.

With regards to Blackmore, Gigginstown House Stud boss Eddie O’Leary made the announcement saying: “Rachael will ride him and I think she has huge ability and is so professional – she’s a credit to her profession really – and hopefully everything will go well.”

Rachael Blackmore had never been to Aintree before let alone ridden there, and said: “I’m obviously very excited to be riding in the race and hopefully we can do our talking on the track next week.”

“I’ll definitely ask Katie Walsh about riding Aintree and all the other obvious sources.

“I haven’t really thought about it yet but I’m just delighted to be part of it.”

Her Win in 2021

Who can forget the historic moment that Rachael Blackmore crossed the finish line in the 2021 Grand National?

The first female jockey to ever win the race, she guided Minella Times through a perfect race and in doing so capped off a remarkable season of racing.

She also won six races at the Cheltenham Festival the same year, making her the first female jockey, to win the jockeys’ title.

With the world of racing at her feet, she narrowly missed on the Jockey Championship in Ireland, losing to Paul Townend by just eight wins.

On the back of that, the Jockey Club named Blackmore as official ambassador of Aintree Racecourse and Prestbury Park, Cheltenham in September 2021.

Her success in 2021 also earned her the prestigious title of RTE Sportsperson of the Year, and she has been praised for breaking down barriers and inspiring a new generation of female jockeys.

Charlotte Brew (Jockey)

In 1977, at the age of 21, Charlotte Brew became a history maker as the first woman to ride in the Grand National.

Brew rode her own 12-year-old chestnut called Barony Fort (200/1), surviving the first circuit before falling at the fourth last, when tailed off.

Nina Carberry (Jockey)

Nina Carberry was one of the the most experienced of all the Grand National female riders, having finished the course on four of her five starts, her best result being placed seventh on Character Building in 2010.

Nina and Paul Carberry became the first brother and sister to ride in the same National in 2012 and Katie and Ruby Walsh achieved the same feat in 2013.

She began her riding career in point-to-point races and made her professional debut in 2001 riding numerous winners throughout her career.

One of Carberry’s most notable achievements came in 2011, when she became the first female jockey to win the Irish Grand National, riding Organisedconfusion to victory.

She also enjoyed success at the Cheltenham Festival, riding two winners in the amateur races.

She retired from racing in 2018, having won over 400 races during her career.

Since retiring, she has married Ted Walsh (brother to Ruby and Katie), has two daughters and as of 2024 was elected as an MEP at the 2024 European Parliament elections.

Bryony Frost

2018 was an exciting year all round for the Grand National and Bryony Frost was the third female jockey to line up and the second to make her race debut alongside Rachael Blackmore.

She was confirmed as the jockey for Milansbar whom she had partnered once before, at Warwick when winning the Betfred Classic Handicap Chase.

Trained by Neil King he was hoping Frost could work her magic again saying at the time: “She gave him a nice ride at Warwick. The reason she wasn’t on the next two times was because Paul (Nicholls) needed her.

“The horse has come out of the race really well. He does take his racing nicely and he’s in very good order.”

It was a chance for Frost to emulate the success of her father, Jimmy Frost, who rode Little Polveir to victory in the 1989 Grand National.

However, it was not to be, but a terrific ride saw Frost and Milansbar finish in 5th place.

The following year, in March 2019, she became the first woman to win a Grade 1 race at the Cheltenham Festival when she won the Ryanair Chase on Frodon.

In 2020, and again with Frodon, she won the King George VI Chase at Kempton, becoming the first female jockey to win the race.

There was some controversy in 2021 when she lodged a complaint withe BHA regarding bullying and harassment.

Whether that affected the number of rides she was then offered is undetermined however, the number dropped and in May 2024 Frost left for France were she was appointed retained jockey to owners Simon Munir and Isaac Souede.

Jessica Harrington (Trainer)

Jessica Harrington is a well-known Irish horse trainer who has achieved a great deal of success in the racing industry.

She was born on February 12, 1947, in London, England, but grew up in County Kildare, Ireland.

She has been involved with horses her entire life and started out as an amateur jockey. She rode in point-to-point races and was successful enough to earn her trainer’s license in 1989.

Since then, she has trained numerous winners both in Ireland and abroad.

Harrington’s most famous horse is probably Moscow Flyer, who won the Queen Mother Champion Chase at the Cheltenham Festival twice in 2003 and 2005, as well as a host of other major races.

She has also trained other notable horses, including Jezki, Supasundae, and Sizing Europe.

She came close to winning the Grand National in 2019 when her mare, Magic of Light, was beaten by Tiger Roll.

Rosemary Henderson (Jockey)

Rosemary Henderson, who was dubbed “the galloping granny”, finished fifth at the age of 51 on her own horse, Fiddlers Pike (100/1) in 1994.

She subsequently wrote a book, ‘”Road To The National”, about her famous exploits.

Lizzie Kelly

In 2019, and fresh off the back of two Cheltenham Festival wins, jockey Lizzie Kelly was eyeing up the Grand National fences.

She was booked to be on board Tea For Two, a horse owned and trained by her mother Jane Williams.

Speaking to The Guardian, Kelly said: “He’s the horse of a lifetime. He was one of my first winners against professionals when I was an amateur.

“I was still at university when I won a bumper on him at Wincanton, all those years ago. He’s been part of my career at every stage.”

Lizzie Kelly made history at Kempton on Boxing Day in 2015, when she became the first female jockey to win a Grade One over jumps in Britain.

That great form did not extend to the 2019 Grand National when Tea For Two weakened after the 23rd (2nd Canal Turn), tailed off and was pulled up before two from home.

She partnered with him again for the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 2020, where she finished seventh.

In July 2020, Kelly announced her retirement from racing as she was expecting her first child.

Jenny Pitman (Trainer)

Mrs P” or “the cuddly one” as she was affectionately known, retired from training racehorses in 1999, but not before she had left some of her training legacy upon the Grand National too.

Jenny Pitman trained Corbiere to a memorable Grand National win in 1983 and then achieved the same feat two years later with Royal Athlete. She was denied a third victory in 1993 with Esha Ness when the race was voided because of two false starts.

It wasn’t just Pitman’s record in the race that made her a household name, but also her very visible prominence in the nation’s perception of the event.

She had at least one runner in the Grand National every year from 1981 up until her retirement, and her on-screen chemistry with the BBC’s sports anchorman, Des Lynam, was a joy to behold for millions of viewers watching at home.

Geraldine Rees (Retired Jockey)

Geraldine Rees became the first woman to complete the course in 1982 when riding a horse called Cheers. The pairing managed to finish the race in eighth and last place.

Lucinda Russell (Trainer)

Lucinda Russell is a successful Scottish horse trainer who has enjoyed a great deal of success in the racing industry.

She started out as a point-to-point jockey before moving on to become a professional trainer. She took out her trainer’s license in 1995 and has since trained numerous winners both in Scotland and across the UK.

Russell’s two most famous horses are probably One For Arthur, who won the Grand National at Aintree in 2017, and Corach Rambler who won the race in 2023.

The first victory was a historic one for Russell, as she became only the fourth woman in history to train a Grand National winner.

In addition to her success with One For Arthur and 2023 race favourite Corach Rambler, Russell has trained other notable horses.

They include Brindisi Breeze, who won the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in 2012, and Silver By Nature, who won the Scottish Grand National in 2011.

Sue Smith

Sue Smith, a British horse trainer born in 1948, made history in 2013 when she became only the third female trainer to win the prestigious Grand National.

Smith’s journey to this remarkable achievement began in her youth, where she participated in Britain’s first ladies’ race and later became an international show jumper.

In 1990, she obtained her full training license and saddled her first winner, African Safari, at Ascot.

However, it was Auroras Encore’s stunning 66-1 upset victory in the 2013 Grand National that catapulted Smith into the racing spotlight.

Trained at Craiglands Farm near Bingley Moor in West Yorkshire, Auroras Encore’s win by nine lengths demonstrated her exceptional skill in preparing horses for one of the most challenging steeplechases in the world.

Katie Walsh (Jockey)

Katie Walsh is a retired Irish jockey who enjoyed a successful career in the racing industry. She was born into a family of horse trainers and jockeys and is the daughter of trainer Ted Walsh and sister to jockey Ruby Walsh.

Walsh started out as an amateur jockey and rode her first winner in 2003 before turning professional in 2006, quickly becoming one of the most successful female jockeys in Ireland.

Throughout her career, Walsh rode for some of the top trainers in Ireland and the UK, and she is known for her skill in riding over hurdles and fences.

She rode numerous winners, including three at the Cheltenham Festival, and was widely regarded as one of the top jockeys of her generation.

One of Walsh’s most notable achievements came in 2012, when she finished third in the race aboard Seabass, a horse trained by her father.

Up to that point, it was the best finishing position by any female rider in the history of the race.

She also won the Irish Grand National 2015 on board Thunder And Roses for trainer Sandra Hughes and owner Gigginstown House Stud.

Her final Grand National ride was in 2018, the same year Blackmore made her debut, when she partnered Baie Des Iles for Irish trainer Ross O’Sullivan.

This was the first ever entry for Ross O’Sullivan, who also happens to be married to Katie Walsh.

Fans loved the idea of a grey mare with a female jockey on board as the underdog story of the race and soon backed Walsh into 16/1 from 66/1.

Unfortunately, the win was not on the cards and the duo had to be content with 12th place.

Walsh retired from racing in 2018, having won over 600 races during her career. Since retiring, she has worked as a racing pundit and commentator, and has become a vocal advocate for women in the sport.

She was also named as the Racing Ambassador for the 2020 Grand National Festival alongside her brother Ruby, before the race was ultimately cancelled.

Venetia Williams (Trainer)

Venetia Williams is the only female trainer to have saddled a Grand National winner who has also ridden in the race.

She fell at Becher’s first time when riding 200/1 chance Marcolo in 1988 and trained 100/1 shot Mon Mome to score in 2009.

Incidentally, Williams was knocked unconscious riding Marcolo in the Grand National and her riding career ended when a fortnight later she broke her neck riding at Worcester.

Her strength as a trainer, however, is her attention to detail and the fact that she never gives up on a horse.

When she gained her revenge on the Aintree course in 2009 by training 100–1 shot Mon Mome, it was the longest priced winner of the race for forty-two years.

Female Jockeys in the Grand National

Conclusion

Despite such little representation in the Grand National over the years, female trainers and jockeys continue to break down barriers and make history in the famous event.

These trailblazing women have not only proven their ability to compete at the highest level but have also inspired a new generation of female trainers and jockeys.

Their achievements have challenged long-standing gender stereotypes in the racing world and demonstrated that skill, determination, and horse knowledge are not limited by gender, ultimately enriching the sport and the Grand National itself.