Rachael Blackmore favourite to take down sporting superstars at BBC SPOTY

Rachael Blackmore has been rewarded for her record-breaking achievements in 2021 with a nomination in the World Sport Star category at this month's BBC Sports Personality of the Year awards.

The Irish jockey is one of six nominees for the award and following a surge of support Ladbrokes make her the odds-on favourite to fend off stiff competition from some of sport's biggest names, including tennis great Novak Djokovic and American football legend Tom Brady.

Blackmore was initially installed as 5-2 favourite for the prize, but her odds on Monday tumbled to 4-6.

Nicola McGeady of Ladbrokes said: “We installed Rachael Blackmore as the slight favourite for the BBC World Sport Star of the Year gong earlier today. However, it seems punters believe she is head and shoulders above her rivals and even though she has now gone odds-on, no price seems short enough.”

Blackmore made headlines across the globe after becoming the first female rider to win the Grand National with victory on Minella Times in the world's most famous race.

In a glorious spring campaign, the 32-year-old also wrote her name in the Cheltenham Festival history books when becoming the first woman to take the leading jockey award, with her six victories including the Champion Hurdle on Honeysuckle.

Formula 1 championship contender Max Verstappen, sprinter Elaine Thompson-Herah and boxer Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez complete the line-up for an honour won last year by UFC fighter Khabib Nurmagomedov.

Voting has opened for the award and will close at 1pm on Tuesday, December 14. The award will be presented during the BBC Sports Personality of the Year show live on BBC One on Sunday, December 19.

Last year, jockey Hollie Doyle finished third behind Lewis Hamilton in the Sports Personality of the Year award.

Following a racing industry campaign to help raise her profile with the general public, Doyle's odds tumbled from 25-1 to 3-1 and she was on the podium with Hamilton and Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson for an award that has gone to racing only once, when Sir Anthony McCoy won in 2010.

Vote here for your BBC World Sport Star of the Year

Blackmore's Grand National success at Aintree in April took racing from the back pages on to the front in Britain and Ireland and her ground-breaking achievement was hailed by the world's media, with NBC New York, Al Jazeera and The Washington Post among the many international websites to publish stories on her success.

Five of Blackmore's six victories at the Cheltenham Festival were in Grade 1s with Blackmore adding to her Champion Hurdle success on Bob Olinger (Ballymore), Sir Gerhard (Champion Bumper), Allaho (Ryanair) and Quilixios (Triumph). Her other festival winner was Telmesomethinggirl (Mares' Novices' Hurdle).

Blackmore won ride of the season at the Jockey Club McCoy Awards in October for her Grand National success on Minella Times and she is to be honoured with the 2021 Irish Racing Hero award at this month's Horse Racing Ireland awards.

BBC World Sports Star of the Year

Ladbrokes: 4-6 Rachael Blackmore, 5 Elaine Thompson-Herah, 10 Novak Djokovic, 12 Tom Brady, Max Verstappen, 16 Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez

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