RACHEL BLACKMORE has been branded the ‘all-round’ package and could become horse racing’s Cristiano Ronaldo following her Grand National success.
Blackmore became the first female jockey to win the National on Saturday.
She rode 11-1 Minella Times to victory in the most famous race in the world at Aintree and now has more than just the eyes of the racing world on her.
Blackmore has been installed as the odds-on favourite to win the overseas BBC Sport Personality of the Year award, and appeared on virtually every national newspaper front page in the UK on Sunday.
The 31-year-old from County Tipperary is now in line for huge sponsorship deals and, having also dominated at Cheltenham last month, is not just the biggest name in racing, but one of the biggest in sport.
And a marketing and communications expert believes she could now have the world at her fingertips and became a superstar in the same stratosphere as Juventus and Portugal star Ronaldo.
Bill Esdaile, owner of agency Square In The Air, said: “Winning the National means Rachael switches from a racing star to a sports star. She is a pin-up for horseracing but also female sport.
“She is remarkably level-headed and has been handed a huge opportunity while the wind is behind her. She is also the best jockey riding at the moment so she’s the sponsor’s dream because she is the all-round package.
“Football has Ronaldo, who looks the part and is the part, and Rachael is the same.
“She will now be attractive for talks, books and films. That’s where the opportunities lie for her.
“She will have a big career after the saddle. Whether she likes it or not, she has become a female icon.”
Esdaile added: “In an era when the likes of Frankie Dettori are reaching the twilight of their careers, she is a new star.
“What Rachael did is arguably better than what Frankie did with his Magnificent Seven when he rode seven winners at Ascot.
“She is smashing down boundaries and doing what no-one has ever done before.”
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