Nina Carberry Sportswoman of the Month for March

That she was nigh on an afterthought in the coverage of the Foxhunter Chase at Cheltenham last month, despite actually winning the race, wasn't just a testament to the fascination with the exploits of Victoria Pendleton, it was a fair old indication of how Nina Carberry winning at the Festival has become a regular enough thing.

It was in the ancient past of 2005 that she won her first Irish Times' Sportswoman of the Month award when she became the first female jockey to win at Cheltenham in 18 years, riding the Paul Nolan-trained Dabiroun to victory in the Fred Winter Juvenile Novices' Hurdle.

Since then?

Five more winners and enough Sportswoman of the Month awards to fill a mantelpiece, not to mention her trophy marking her winning our overall award in 2011 when she became only the second woman ever to win the Irish Grand National.

Her performance in last month’s Foxhunter Chase simply added to her reputation as a top class jockey, the Enda Bolger-trained On The Fringe boxed in “with nowhere to go” in the closing stages and looking unlikely to repeat its success in the same race the previous year.

Carberry, though, steered him home, bringing him through late with a beautifully-timed ride to beat Marito by a neck.

Outstanding record

Carberry, then, won the Foxhunter Chase at Cheltenham for the second year running, making it three victories in the race in all, and six victories at The Festival.

It’s an outstanding record of achievement, confirming her status as the leading female jockey of her generation.