THE Gentlemen’s League was created last year to promote opportunities for amateur riders across Europe, and its opening season was certainly a successful one from an Irish point of view, with the Irish representative, Dean Sinnott, claiming the inaugural title.
Sinnott came out on top for Ireland following five races at Cork Racecourse, Le Lion D’Angers, Vaumas, Craon and sealed the crown in the final round which took place at the International point-to-point in Barbury Castle.
The series which is entering its second season, sees amateur jockeys from Ireland, Great Britain and France compete against each other over a number of races at courses across Western Europe.
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Hopes will be high of continued success for the Irish, with the announcement that point-to-point regular, Ray Barron, has been selected as the Irish rider for the 2018 season.
The 26-year-old from Limerick has gained plenty of experience riding in point-to-points, having amassed over 360 rides in the pointing fields in the past eight seasons, producing a total of 17 winners.
On the track, Barron has added a further five victories to his career tally, including a season’s best of three already this campaign.
It is sure to be a memorable opportunity for Barron, as it has been announced that the championship will team-up with the Fegentri Series in 2018.
One of the reasons that the Gentlemen’s League was set-up was to try an arrest the falling number of opportunities for amateur jockeys in jumps racing across many parts of Europe, with the corresponding men’s Fegentri Series itself not featuring any jumps races as part of its calendar last year.
Gentlemen’s League organisers Gonzague Cottreau and Freddie Tett attended and participated in the 63rd General Assembly of Fegentri in Paris last weekend, where the collaboration between the series’ was agreed and confirmed.
The first stage of the collaboration saw the presentation of the inaugural Gentlemen’s League trophy to Sinnott take place during the Fegentri Gala Dinner and champions award ceremony in Paris last weekend.
The full calendar for the 2018 Gentlemen’s League and the finer details of the collaboration between it and the 2018 Fegentri Gentlemen’s Series, which features representatives from the likes of America, Sweden, Hungary and Spain, are expected to be announced in the coming weeks.
However, the Gentlemen’s League will return to Cork Racecourse once again to begin its second season.
As was the case 12 months ago, Thursday’s student fixture at Cork will kick start the series with the riders competing in the CIT Cream of the Crop Qualified Riders handicap hurdle.
The three participating riders will have their mounts randomly drawn from the top three horses by racecard order.
The 18-year-old Noel George, who was in action at the Cheltenham Festival during the weekend and is the son of well-known trainer Tom, will represent Britain, whilst the French representative will be Guillaume Viel, who already has experience of the series.
The 22-year-old deputized at the final event of last season’s series for his compatriot Pierre Dubourg when Dubourg made the switch to the professional ranks.