Rachael Blackmore has had a brilliant campaign studded with personal highlights and memorable achievements, but she'll still have to fork out for Paul Townend's dinner this Saturday night.
Blackmore has notched nearly 90 Irish winners this year, and also memorably picked up a first ever Cheltenham Festival success aboard A Plus Tard in the Novices' Handicap Chase as well as a terrific victory with Moon Over Germany in the Handicap Chase at Aintree earlier this month.
She'll finish behind Townend in the race to be crowned Irish Champion Jockey which culminates this weekend after the Punchestown Festival. Townend can't be caught, and Blackmore will be runner-up.
It's the first time in 15 years that Ruby Walsh and Davy Russell are outside the top two.
That's the scale of Blackmore's achievement, and though she'd love to be getting her hands on the title, the Tipperary pilot acknowledged it's been a hell of a campaign.
"I never thought I'd be riding those kind of winners in my career let alone in a season," she said ahead of tomorrow's opening day at Punchestown.
"It's unbelievable and it's all down to the support I've been getting. You need to be getting on the right horses and I've been lucky enough to be able to do that.
"Henry [de Bromhead] has been unbelievable to me all season. His horses are in such fantastic form so a lot of the time my job is very easy. I wouldn't be in the position I am now without his support this season."
As for her bet with Townend, Blackmore admits to a little jealousy at seeing her friend take the glory.
"Unfortunately Pauli is very nice guy!" she laughed.
"I'm delighted for him but I wish it was me at the same time. I think I owe him dinner now. We had a little bet at the start of the season.
"But look, I've had a fantastic season; two winners in Cheltenham, a winner in Aintree. I am thrilled with how it went."
Watch the Punchestown Festival live on RTÉ2 and the RTÉ Player on Tuesday (4pm), Wednesday (4.30pm), Thursday (4pm), Friday (4pm) and Saturday (2.50pm)
