TRAINERS and jockeys helped raise in the region of €50,000 for The Down Syndrome Centre at the recent charity polo match and lunch in the Phoenix Park.

Organised by Derville Meade and the All Ireland Polo Club, the annual event attracted 180 people, including plenty of faces from the races for the Trainers versus Jockeys match.

Tony Martin, Gavin Cromwell, Fozzy Stack, Michael O’Callaghan, Ross O’Sullivan and Ciaran Murphy represented the trainers. They lost out to the jockey squad of Danny Mullins, Gary Carroll, Sam Ewing, Keith Donoghue, Chris Hayes and Donogh Meyler.

Nick Nugent and Paul Nolan provided commentary and the horses were supplied by Bishopland Polo Club. Treo Eile sponsored some of the prizes and the event was catered by Tankardstown House.

Derville reports that the racing set got a bit of a fright when they watched a ‘real’ polo match during the day and saw the speed at which the sport is normally played!

Congratulations to Derville, who will become the first female president of the All-Ireland Club next season. The club was founded in 1873.