THIS week is the final column of the season dedicated to the Corinthian Challenge in aid of Irish Injured Jockeys.

A total of 14 riders went to post in the final leg of the Corinthian Challenge Charity Race Series for Irish Injured Jockeys (IIJ) at Leopardstown Racecourse last Saturday, October 22nd.

The final race of the series was won by Listowel native Fiona Dowling aboard Vera Verto, owned by the From the Clouds Partnership and trained by Gavin Cromwell, while Stan Begley was crowned Corinthian Champion 2022.

After her win in the final leg, a delighted Fiona commented: “I was absolutely over the moon to partner Vera Verto to victory in the final race of the challenge at Leopardstown. It’s always been a personal goal of mine to ride a winner on the racecourse so Saturday really was a dream come true.

“I am very grateful to Gavin Cromwell, his team and the owners for the opportunity. I would like to thank everyone who has supported all the riders throughout the challenge and the atmosphere on race days has been incredible!

“The series is a great initiative to raise vital money for the injured Jockeys fund and I would like to thank each and every one who has supported me in particular, my main sponsors Gain Equine Nutrition and Healy Racing Photography.

“Taking part in the challenge is a big commitment but I’ve made lifelong friends and had the chance to realise a lifelong dream and for that, I cannot be more grateful.”

Overall champion

Post-race celebrations were shared between the affable Corinthians. Stan Begley was crowned overall Champion of the Corinthian Challenge for 2022, as he had the most points accumulated across the series having been placed in every race, the highlight being his win at Gowran Park last month.

A graduate of Agricultural Science from UCD, he also completed the Irish National Stud breeding and management course in 2017. He also recently achieved a Masters in Business Management from UCD Smurfit School of Business.

After his studies, he spent some time working at Arrowfield Stud in Australia and Coolmore America before returning home to the Irish National Stud in Kildare where he is a Breeding Management Assistant.

Although having always worked on the breeding side of the industry, Stan was very keen to get involved in the racing side and the Corinthian Challenge has been a great opportunity to do so over the last few months.

Throughout the entire series, he has been riding out most mornings for Mark Fahey and has thoroughly enjoyed every minute of this experience of a lifetime!

Stan commented: “It has been such a buzz, unbelievable and still a bit surreal really. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Mark Fahey and his whole team for their continued support throughout and the owners who have afforded me the opportunity to ride their horses in each race.

“The series is a great initiative to raise vital money for the Injured Jockeys fund and I would like to thank everyone who has supported me in particular, my main sponsors Kildare House Hotel and Sycamore Lodge Equine Hospital.”

The Corinthian Challenge is a popular annual charity race series run by Irish Injured Jockeys Fund to raise awareness and much needed funds for the national charity.

Challengers are essentially volunteers who apply to participate in the three-race series, they each get the chance to experience first-hand, what it is like to be a jockey from training and fitness to race preparation right through to riding on the track at the Curragh, Gowran Park and Leopardstown respectively.

During the course of the series, challengers are also tasked with raising awareness and much needed funds for Irish Injured Jockeys.

The Corinthian Challenge Charity Race Series is an extremely successful fundraising initiative for Irish Injured Jockey. To date, it has raised over €500,000, with this year’s crew reaching a collective total of €115,536.

Ruby Walsh, Irish Injured Jockeys Chairman said, “The Corinthian Challenge is Irish Injured Jockeys’ major annual fundraising event and we are grateful to all of those taking part.

“It is a major commitment and the funds they raise are vital to our charity and all that we do here. All of us at Irish Injured Jockeys would like to congratulate all the challengers that took part this year, to each of the race winners and our Corinthian Challenge Champion, Stan Begley.

“I would like to thank the many trainers, owners, officials and racecourse personnel who made the series possible and the many sponsors and supporters of each of our Corinthians also.”

Exciting series

Michael Higgins, General Manager, Irish Injured Jockeys commented: “What an exciting series it has been, after a two year break the Corinthian Challenge is well and truly back with a bang thanks to these amazing individuals. To have five Corinthians all with a chance of winning the series going into the final leg made it all the more exciting and each of our three races had different winners which is great, there was a good spread of luck. The gang worked hard to raise awareness and funds for Irish Injured Jockeys throughout and we have had brilliant fun and made lifelong friendships along the way!”

From all the team at Irish Injured Jockeys and The Irish Field, congratulations to Fiona Dowling, Darren Harrison, Michelle O’Brien, Craig Kileff, Emer Lawlor, Laura Bennett, Dean Ryan, Stan Begley, Marie Vallet, Jane Davis, Neil Durkan, Joan Tyner, Laura Burnett and Peter O’Reilly, your commitment has been truly remarkable and unwavering throughout the series, you are all winners!

For further information about the series and how to sign up for this challenge of a lifetime in 2023 visit www.corinthianchallenge.com and follow Irish Injured Jockeys on their social media channels.

2022 Corinthian Challenge Leader Board

Stan Begley - 18 points

Fiona Dowling - 17 points

Jane Davis - 16 points

Darren Harrison - 12 points

Joan Tyner - 7 points

Laura Bennett - 5 points