PUNCHESTOWN Racecourse, in association with the Irish Red Cross, have pledged to donate all proceeds from tickets purchased over this Easter weekend for Ballymore Family Day, Saturday, April 30th, to the Irish Red Cross. Tickets bought between Friday, April 15th and Monday, April 18th will go directly to the Irish Red Cross Ukraine Crisis Appeal.

Red Cross teams are on the ground in Ukraine and surrounding region as well as here in Ireland providing crucial aid for Ukrainian refugees. Your support will enable the Red Cross to continue their work to provide for basic needs such as water, food, medical aid, shelter and other essential needs.

Conor O’Neill, Punchestown CEO, said: “We are all united in our horror at what is happening in Ukraine. Families and loved ones are being displaced and the consequences of this war are devastating. In addition to our Easter weekend fundraiser, we will be rolling out some additional activities to raise funds in the coming days and weeks. If everyone gives a little it will help a lot.”

Visit punchestown.com or donate directly www.donate.redcross.ie.

MIDLANDS racing and greyhound enthusiast Vinny Grennan is the instigator of this unique photo of our dual Champion Hurdle winner and outstanding Irish-trained hurdler Honeysuckle alongside another amazing achiever, the bitch Susie Sapphire, queen of greyhound racing, who has enthralled fans these last two years.

Honeysuckle remains unbeaten in 16 races overall. Susie Sapphire has had won four Grade 1 competitions (Puppy Oaks, Oaks, Derby and Easter Cup), an achievement never done before.

“After what Honeysuckle did and Susie with four Grade 1s, I said wouldn’t it be great to have the two of them together!” Vinny said.

“It was taken in Henry’s on Monday. I approached Henry in Naas two weeks ago and he said with Tramore on I’ll be around so when we contacted trainer Owen (McKenna), he was “absolutely”, he jumped at it, so we got a couple of great shots.

After the photo was posted on Twitter, Vinny continues: “I’m blown away with the reaction from world-wide. I even had someone from Australia contacting me for a couple of quotes!”

“When you look back there was a photo years ago of Golden Miller and Mick the Miller, back in the 1930s. So it’d be great in years to come if my grandkids were looking back saying, my granda took that picture. It’s an iconic photo.”