Rachael Blackmore leads hundreds of mourners as Henry de Bromhead reads heartbreaking eulogy at son Jack’s funeral
RACHAEL BLACKMORE led the hundreds of tearful mourners who gathered to bid farewell to tragic Jack de Bromhead on Wednesday.
The record-breaking Grand National winner showed her support for devastated Henry, Jack’s dad and a giant of the racing world.
Tragic Jack died last weekend after a pony racing accident, plunging the entire sport into mourning.
Jack’s funeral is being held near Waterford city in his native Ireland, where Blackmore was joined by the likes of fellow Cheltenham Festival legend Barry Geraghty plus former top jockey Robbie Power.
De Bromhead, 49, who teamed up with Blackmore to win the National in 2021 and has also enjoyed success in the Cheltenham Gold Cup and Champion Hurdle, paid emotional tribute to Jack earlier this week.
And speaking at the funeral, he read out at a heartbreaking eulogy in honour of his hugely popular son.
De Bromhead, alongside wife Heather, said: “One of the greatest comforts Heather and I have now in his passing is he knows how much we loved him.
“I just ask any of you, whoever you love, make sure you tell them.
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“If something like this happens to you, something so tragic as it is, happens to you, it’s a great comfort.
“If you could take that away with you, we would really appreciate it.”
The couple finished by echoing the words Jack said to them every night: “Night, mum. Night, dad. Love you.”
De Bromhead was joined at the funeral by hundreds of mourners, with the streets lined by those paying their respects.
Guards of honour were formed by Jack’s friends from the pony racing circuit as the hearse arrived at the parish church in Butlerstown.
De Bromhead, famed for training unbeaten superstar horse Honeysuckle, posted a photo of a drawing of Jack in his red silks walking off into a pink sky.
He didn’t add any words to go with the image, which was posted on Instagram at around 8am on Wednesday morning.
HUNDREDS PAY RESPECTS
Jack, a very promising jockey who loved being around the yard with his dad, is understood to have fallen off his mount at Glenbeigh Races last Saturday.
The Festival, the remainder of which was cancelled, is a popular two-day event held in County Kerry.
Tributes to Jack were left on Rossbeigh beach – where racing took place – over the weekend.
Legendary jockey AP McCoy was among those paying tribute.
He said: “Heartbreakingly sad. Such a talented ambitious, charming young boy taken doing what he loved.”
While jockey Aidan Coleman, who rode the De Bromhead-trained Put The Kettle On to victory in the 2021 Champion Chase, said: “It’s such a sad period, God only knows what they’re going through.
“Henry has given me some of the best days of my life on the racecourse.
“It feels a very meagre thing to do to send my thoughts to him but it’s such a tragedy.
‘DEPTHS OF SORROW’
“We’ll all be there for them.”
A private cremation ceremony will be held after the funeral mass, led by local parish priest Father Pat Fitzgerald.
Father Fitzgerald said: “Jack compressed a tonne of living into his years.
“He had a real joy in living about him. He revelled in all that was around him, the family, the home and the yard.
“It’s amazing the way Jack’s life has touched so many. His life has captured the hearts of many people in his death, and has impacted on even strangers.
“There’s been a weight of sorrow on us since we heard the news on Saturday.
“It’s a dreadful loss. I was thinking of the fact that the family took us to the heights of jubilation with great successes in in Cheltenham and Aintree.
“They lifted us all up in jubilation and now we’re having to go with them into the deepest depths of sorrow.”