FORMER greats of the saddle A.P. McCoy, Barry Geraghty, Paul Carberry and Robbie Power were among those at the Curragh last Saturday to congratulate the 300-plus good people who completed the Pat Smullen Coast To Curragh cycle in aid of Cancer Research Trials.

Event organiser Gavin Lynch reported: “I saw A.P. talking to at least 100 people on the day. They were all great. Patrick Mullins was there too and of course Frances Smullen, a very special person. Once again we were blessed with the weather and it was a great day. I must give special thanks to the gardaí in Naas and Newbridge, who were superb both this year and last year.”

This was the second year of the event, inspired by the late Pat Smullen and Gavin’s late mum, Olive. The cycle looks set to become a fixture in the August racing calendar. Gavin said: “The Curragh are very strong on it. We had a sold-out lunch for 170 people on a charity auction which went well too. That fourth Saturday in August is working out well for us – it suits families who are back from holidays and not yet back at school – and hopefully we will have the same slot next year.”

Donations are still being accepted on coasttocurragh.ie or you can search gofundme.com for ‘Coast To Curragh’.