THERE may have been seven races on the card at Navan last week but there was an eighth race that drew a lot of attention.

Brought together by a locally-based chocolate manufacturer, RYSE Chocolate Energy, a Man V Horse contest entertained the late racegoers.

Irish 800m indoor champion of 2025 and Meath man, Kevin McGrath took on Keith Donoghue on board his brother’s horse, Lisnamult Lad. Kevin would run about 600 metres on the tarmac ambulance track while Keith took the horsepower to cover about 1200 metres of the hurdle track.

Parade ring presenter Meghann Scully whipped up the interest around the track on the social channels with most of the onlookers seeming to favour the ‘man’.

The event described as between “two ultra competitive Meath men” was in aid of the Injured Jockeys Fund.

In the end, it was McGrath who found the distance more to his liking and hit the line a few horse lengths in front of Donoghue.

The best news was that €1,100 was raised for the Irish Injured Jockeys Fund.