THE biggest surprise at the Curragh last Saturday was that you could get evens on Nina Carberry winning the charity race on Ndaawi.

It had been well publicised that the former leading amateur rider, now an MEP, was making a special return to the saddle for the Pat Smullen Cancer Trials Ireland Charity Race and she was clearly on the best horse in Ndaawi, a former Galway Hurdle winner whose eight previous wins also included a charity race over this course and distance two years ago.

Hugging the rail throughout, Nina and Ndaawi were travelling so well turning in that they couldn’t help but edge out and hit the front two and a half furlongs out.

Nina was still sitting quietly approaching the furlong pole, but she was already a few lengths clear and kindly decided to give racegoers a treat by driving her mount out in the closing stages for a six-length success.

Neo Smart (Gordon Power) was second and Star Harbour (Tadhg McGuinness) took third.

Speaking afterwards to Racing TV, Nina said: “I got there way too soon! He got me out of trouble, you need those good ones to do that. When you’re on a good one, you can be wherever you want.

“He was lovely to ride, and Gordon produced him lovely for today. Well done to him for producing three horses today to run in this race.

“My girls [daughters Rosie (9) and Hollie (7)] wouldn’t know me as a rider at all, so it was nice for them to even see a little glimpse of what I had for 17 years. It was lovely to have my mum here, and [brother] Paul. Peter’s there, somewhere in the crowd, and obviously Ted and all the family, cousins and relations.

“It’s absolutely brilliant, but you can’t get away from why we’re here today. It’s remembering Pat Smullen and what he’s actually achieved outside of riding. What he started and what the Smullen family have kept going. It’s amazing.”

Frances Crowley and her children Hannah, Paddy and Sarah led the riders into the parade ring.

Reflecting on Pat’s legacy in an interview on TG4 recently, Frances said: “Pat did so well with the race in its first year in 2019, and it’s been an honour to carry it on. We’re delighted with the way it’s gone. We’ve raised €1.2 million since then. It’s done great work.

“We have [Professor] Gráinne O’Kane, who is the Pat Smullen Chair [in Pancreatic Cancer] in UCD and in St Vincent’s Hospital. She’s done amazing work since she started. We have created a centre of excellence here in Ireland for pancreatic cancer.

“There’s been a huge breakthrough this year, with a new drug that is having amazing results.

“It has doubled the survival rate for pancreatic cancer sufferers.

“Ireland is not going to get access to this drug for quite a few years, so we’re hoping - with our track record and thanks to everybody who has contributed - that we can get trials with this drug and get access for people in Ireland.”

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