Portugal Colonial - Blackmore makes Gold Cup history as A Plus Tard wins

The 32-year-old Irish jockey has become the first woman rider to win the Champion Hurdle -- which she won for a second time on Tuesday -- the Grand National and the Gold Cup.

Trainer Henry de Bromhead repeated his feat of last year by training the first two horses to finish as defending champion Minella Indo was second.

For Blackmore it made up for last year's disappointment as she had chosen A Plus Tard ahead of Minella Indo and had to give second best.

Her joy was unconfined as she crossed the line raising her head skywards before hugging and patting A Plus Tard.

"I cannot believe it!" said an emotional Blackmore.

"I am so lucky to be attached to Henry de Bromhead and look at what he has provided me with.

"You have all these plans in sport but racing has a habit of wrecking them," she said.

"Then there are days like these when they come to fruition."

De Bromhead -- who teamed up with Blackmore to win the Champion Hurdle for a second successive year -- said he could not grasp what he had achieved.

"No, definitely not," said the 49-year-old Irishman.

"This is just incredible, amazing! Fairplay to everyone involved. I am delighted for these guys," he said, referring to the Thompson family, owners of Cheveley Park Stud.

He said Blackmore was "so brave, she kept sitting and sitting", adding "the pace A Plus Tard showed was just incredible."

M.A.Vaz--PC