“I never even imagined I'd get a ride in this race, never mind get my hands on the trophy," Blackmore said.
After all, the 1944 Hollywood movie “National Velvet” was the story of a 12-year-old girl, Velvet Brown – played by a young Elizabeth Taylor – who won the Grand National on The Pie, a gelding she won in a raffle and one she decided to train for the world's biggest horse race. In the story, Brown was later disqualified on a technicality, having dismounted before reaching the enclosure.
Even though Aintree was without race-goers because of the pandemic, cheers rang out as Blackmore made her way off the course – still aboard Minella Times – and into the winner's enclosure. She looked as if she couldn't believe what she had done.