Female Winners of the Grand National

More than 185 years after the inaugural edition of 1839, the Aintree Grand National continues to tower above all other events on the British racing scene. Flat or jumps, no race comes close to matching the mass appeal of the Merseyside marvel. Discussed by die-hard fans, once-a-year punters, your grandmother, the postman, and possibly the dog, the Grand National is the one race of the year which places horse racing at the centre of the sporting world.

A race for everyone, male or female, in terms of placing a bet and watching the nine to 11 minutes of action, but what about the participants? It will be no surprise to learn that legendary male riders such as Sir A P McCoy and Ruby Walsh have claimed Grand National glory, but has a female rider ever come home in front?

In common with many sports in the UK, restrictions kept women on the outside of the early history of horse racing, including the Aintree Grand National. Happily, times are changing. Fast forward to the 21st century, and the sight of a female jockey tackling Becher’s Brook, the Chair and Co. is not the novelty it once was.

In 2021 we witnessed a momentous moment as Rachael Blackmore became the first female jockey to win the Grand National. As it currently stands, she is still the only female jockey to win the big race.

Here we look back at the riders who paved the way to that momentous result, and, of course, the woman who etched her name into the annals of racing history.

Brew Breaks New Ground

Despite being held in one of the more liberal nations of the world, no female jockey rode in the Grand National until 1977 – 138 years after the race made its debut. The wheels for female participation in the sport were set in motion in 1972, when Kempton staged an all-female contest, representing the first time female riders were allowed to compete in an official UK horse race of any description.

Sex Discrimination Act

The key event in the evolution of women in horse racing then came in 1975, when the Sex Discrimination Act was passed into law. With the new legislation in place, the Jockey Club had no option but to allow women to obtain a licence and compete in any race in which they were hired to ride.

Charlotte Brew Rides Barony Fort

With the red tape removed, Charlotte Brew became the first female jockey to line up in the Grand National when partnering Barony Fort in 1977. While Charlotte was willing to complete the course, her mount had other ideas when refusing to jump the fourth last. A disappointing outcome, but the first female step in the Aintree showpiece had been taken.

Three Cheers for Rees, the First to Complete

The next landmark moment came in the 1982 edition, won by Grittar. With Charlotte Brew returning to take the ride aboard Martinstown and Geraldine Rees partnering Cheers, this was the first Grand National to feature more than one female jockey. While Brew found herself unseated, Geraldine Rees became the first female jockey to complete the course when guiding Cheers to an eighth-place finish.

The 1983 edition also featured two female jockeys, while in 1998 three appeared for the first time, in the shape of Penny Ffitch-Heyes, Gee Armytage, and future Grand National-winning trainer Venetia Williams. In 1994, Rosemary Henderson became the second female rider to complete the course, setting a new best for the ladies when finishing fifth aboard Fiddler’s Pike. Then followed an 11-year absence of female jockeys in the famous race, before Carrie Ford matched Henderson’s fifth-place finish with Forest Gunner in 2005.

The Carberry and Walsh Era

Ahead of the 2006 edition, Charlotte Brew, Jenny Hembrow, and Geraldine Rees held the record for Grand National appearances by a female jockey, with two apiece. By 2024, three ladies had ridden in the great race on six occasions.

Nina Carberry was the first to reach the six-race milestone. As the daughter of trainer Tommy Carberry and sister to fellow jockeys Philip and Paul Carberry, the tough and talented Nina hails from a famous racing family. Ahead of the 2006 race, she had already made a big splash when riding the first of what would become seven Cheltenham Festival winners in the 2005 Fred Winter Juvenile Hurdle. Nina could never quite replicate that Cheltenham record in the Grand National, but did complete the course in four of her six appearances between 2006 and 2016. The pick of those efforts came when finishing seventh on Character Building in 2010.

Nina was joined on the Grand National scene by fellow Irish rider and her future sister-in-law, Katie Walsh (Nina married Ted Walsh Jr in 2012). With her training father Ted Walsh and brother Ruby Walsh having teamed up to win the 2000 Grand National with Papillon, Katie appeared in the race for the first time when riding Seabass for her father in 2012. She couldn’t quite replicate Papillon’s performance but came pretty close. In front over the last, Seabass stuck on well but had to settle for third behind Neptune Collonges and Sunnyhillboy – a near miss, but still the best Grand National finishing position by a female jockey at the time. That was as good as it got for Walsh, who equalled Nina Carberry’s record of six appearances in 2018 without managing another top 10 finish.

Rachel Rewrites the Record Books

The 2018 Grand National also marked the first appearance of the woman who would go on to redefine the possibilities for female riders. Rachael Blackmore had picked up a handful of significant handicap wins at that stage of her career, but few could have predicted the level of success that would follow.

That said, her first Grand National appearance didn’t go particularly well, with Rachael and her mount Alpha Des Obeaux departing at the 15th fence. Returning in 2019, Rachael completed the course for the first time when finishing 10th aboard Valseur Lido. And then came 2021.

Leading Rider at the Cheltenham Festival

March 2021 saw Rachael become the first female jockey to be crowned the leading rider at the Cheltenham Festival, with wins in the Champion Hurdle and Ryanair Chase contributing to her impressive six-race haul. Arriving on the crest of a wave, she conquered the famous fences with a brilliantly composed ride aboard Minella Times. Taking the lead on the home turn, she nudged her mount clear at the elbow and powered ahead for a historic 6½l success. Thanks to the Covid-19 restrictions of the time, few were there to see it, but the 2021 edition will go down as one of the most momentous in the history of the race.

Further Grand National Appearances

Rachael made four further appearances in the Grand National, with the pick of those efforts seeing her finish third on Minella Indo in 2024. Returning for the final time aboard that same horse in 2025, the pair finished a respectable ninth, while Rachael’s seventh appearance in the race set a new record for female riders.

Retirement

Upon her retirement in 2025, Rachael Blackmore held the record as the most successful female jockey in Cheltenham Festival history and was one of only three riders to win the Champion Hurdle, Queen Mother Champion Chase, Stayers’ Hurdle, Cheltenham Gold Cup, and Aintree Grand National. A truly remarkable jockey.

Female Training Triumphs

As of 2026, Rachael Blackmore stands alone as the only female jockey to win the Grand National. However, the race has witnessed the following notable triumphs for female trainers.

• Jenny Pitman – Corbiere (1983), Royal Athlete (1995)
• Venetia Williams – Mon Mome (2009)
• Sue Smith – Auroras Encore (2013)
• Lucinda Russell – One For Arthur (2017), Corach Rambler (2023)

It took over 180 years for the first female jockey to win the Grand National. However, with Nina Carberry, Katie Walsh, and particularly Rachael Blackmore inspiring future generations, we suspect the second may arrive a little quicker. Given the recent record of female trainers, the next landmark may be a Grand National winner both trained and ridden by a woman.