Stellar Cast for Pat Smullen Champions Race

[Wandering Eyes]

The inaugural Sept. 15 The Pat Smullen Champions Race for Cancer Trials Ireland at The Curragh features 10 jockeys that have amassed 75 flat and jump champion titles between them, Pat Smullen announced. Held on the second day of Longines Irish Champions Weekend, the race sees four jump jockeys (Ruby Walsh, AP McCoy, Paul Carberry and Charlie Swan) and six flat riders (Pat Smullen, Johnny Murtagh, Richard Hughes, Joseph O’Brien, Kieren Fallon and Ted Durcan) recruited by Smullen, square off going a mile immediately after the G1 Comer Group International Irish St Leger. All funds raised from the unique race, and other weekend fund-raising activities will be donated to Cancer Trials Ireland, who performs research and conducts pancreatic cancer trials.

“To have Ruby and AP riding against each other one more time will be exciting, and when you see Charlie and Paul there too, we really have what many consider four of the greatest Jumps riders of all time,” said Pat Smullen. ” And we have signed up five brilliant Flat champions–Kieren is a hugely popular figure with racegoers here, Johnny, Richard, Joseph and Ted were world-class jockeys with whom I was lucky to share the weigh room.

“All of us want to make this a competitive race worth watching and so we will be sourcing horses over the next few weeks. Already we’ve had trainers and owners offering their support and that will be very important because, as well as this being about creating an exciting event over Longines Irish Champions Weekend, my priority is also about raising money for Cancer Trials Ireland, the leading Irish cancer research trials organisation.”

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