FRIENDS of the late Fr Sean Breen have launched a campaign to raise €40,000 which will be used to commission a statute of “the racing priest” at Punchestown.

Originally from Co Cavan, ‘the Breener’ spent the latter part of his life as parish priest for Eadestown and Ballymore Eustace in Co Kildare. He was a regular fixture at race meetings and was one of the sport’s most popular figures, up to the time of his passing in 2009. He loved a tip and would often pass on any information he had from the altar, a tactic which probably brought a few more faces into the church each Sunday.