Rachael Blackmore was entitled to a day off last Saturday but she didn’t get it.

After four intense days at Cheltenham, where she won the two biggest races of the week, the 32-year-old from Co Tipperary could easily have swerved Saturday’s very ordinary race day at Thurles. But she turned up, not only for the one horse she was booked to ride, but also to pose for hundreds of photographs, mostly with children who idolise her.

Thurles Racecourse manager Kate Molony said: “As soon as Rachael rode the Gold Cup winner on Friday afternoon we started to get emails and phone calls from the public looking for tickets. I’d say we sold a couple of hundred extra because of her.

“Rachael only had one ride on the day but she arrived early, I’d say she knew there was going to be a lot of people there to meet her. She spent a good 45 minutes with racegoers, having her photo taken and just chatting with them. She didn’t rush anybody, she’s just a dote.”

Among those queuing to meet the star was Blackmore’s mother Eimir, who had not seen her daughter since earlier in the week. It’s easy to believe that Mrs Blackmore waited her turn as this writer witnessed the jockey’s parents queueing for a Ryanair flight and taxi to Cheltenham with all the regular punters the previous Tuesday.

Their daughter has inherited that charm.

Blackmore is unique in Irish racing. Yes, the sport has plenty of world-class exponents – names like Aidan O’Brien and Colin Keane spring to mind – but it is Rachael Blackmore who has taken racing from the sports pages to the front page.

Last year she was named The Irish Times Sportswoman of the Year, RTÉ Sports Personality of the Year and BBC World Sportstar of the Year.

Success is one thing but why is she so popular with the public? There are several reasons. Firstly, her story is relatable – the pony club rider who tried her luck as a professional jockey almost by accident. With no background in racing and no elite contacts, Blackmore started at rock-bottom, cold-calling trainers for rides on chancy jumpers, the horses nobody else wanted.

At times it must have felt like a long road to where she is now but it was only 10 years ago that she rode her first winner and seven years since she became a professional jockey.

Another reason for her star popularity is her ability to communicate. Invariably in interviews, especially after big race wins, Blackmore comes across as a very humble person who doesn’t really believe she deserves her success. It’s as if she doesn’t quite know how she got there, like she’s living a dream and expects to get a rude awakening any moment now.

Then there’s the obvious fact of her gender. There have been less than five female professional jump jockeys in the history of Irish racing. Nina Carberry and Katie Walsh were actually amateur riders who – for their own reasons – decided it wouldn’t be a good career move for them to try and compete day-in, day-out with the men.

Not that they didn’t have the talent but both those women were happy to dominate amateur races and lady rider races. They would have had to give up all those connections if they went professional and it was a lot to risk. Blackmore had nothing to lose. In fact she openly admits it was because she couldn’t compete with Walsh and Carberry that she turned professional.

Now we have a situation where a woman is competing at an elite level alongside men and outperforming them. You don’t get that in any other sport (OK, the horse plays a major part but you don’t get the horses unless you prove your ability to get the most out of them).

Corporate sponsors have beaten a path to Blackmore’s door. An engineering company pays handsomely to have their name on her riding breeches. She is a brand ambassador for a global accountancy firm, a luxury hotel and car manufacturer, and her image is Cheltenham Racecourse.

There is simply no end to the number of media requests made of her but she has navigated that thorny path pretty well. Some journalists have been disappointed not to be granted an audience with her but criticism is impossible when you see how she makes time for her fans and good causes.

A Google search of ‘Rachael Blackmore charity’ brings up a long list of results. Festina Lente, WellChild, the Coca Cola Thank You Fund, and many local organisations have benefited from her support.

On the eve of this year’s Cheltenham Festival, she found time to present medals to two local hurling teams in Killenaule and sign up to launch a Tipperary Tidy Towns initiative.

Whatever about inspiring tomorrow’s hurlers, Rachael Blackmore is undoubtedly inspiring tomorrow’s jockeys – male and female. If this Horsewomen of Ireland series is still running 10 years from now, you can bet many of them will cite Rachael Blackmore as their hero.