NEXT Saturday’s Pat Smullen Raceday in aid of Cancer Trials Ireland is building up to be a very special day’s racing, featuring a host of events and activities to raise funds for Cancer Trials Ireland. Racing starts at 4.05pm.

Pat Smullen’s daughter Hannah, former amateur jockey Kate Harrington and Olympian Sue Shortt are among 15 riders taking part in a charity race on the card, sponsored by The Grafton Hotel. All the participants are riding in memory of a family member or friend who they lost to cancer or to support anyone currently living with cancer. That race is due off at 7.40pm and there is live music after racing.

Taylor Swift and Coldplay tickets, a coaching lesson with Ronan O’Gara, a racehorse with Joseph O’Brien for the 2024 flat season and a private dinner for 12, cooked by celebrity chef Martin Shanahan, VIP tickets to the Irish Open Golf and Premiership games are some of the auction items kindly donated by the sporting and racing world for the online auction in aid of Cancer Trials Ireland.

Paddy Power is sponsoring the feature race, the Irish Cambridgeshire, with the full sponsorship fee going directly to Cancer Trials Ireland. The afternoon will also feature the finish to The Coast to Curragh cycle. The brainchild of Gavin Lynch who lost his mum Olive to pancreatic cancer, the cycle starts at Laytown and finishes at the Curragh, taking in six racecourses and Moyglare Stud on the way. A.P. McCoy is again taking part.

Brian Kavanagh, Curragh Racecourse CEO, said: “We are overwhelmed with the response to the Pat Smullen Cancer Trials Ireland Raceday. Everyone’s generosity will make a significant impact to pancreatic cancer patients. We are honoured to continue Pat’s legacy and and support the life-changing work of Cancer Trials Ireland. I would encourage everyone to support the charity cycle, the riders taking part in the Pat Smullen charity race, the brilliant online auction but most importantly to come racing and be part of this special day.”

Eamon Waters of the Grafton Hotel said: “We are delighted to support this wonderful event. It’s fantastic to see the racing industry supporting and creating this fundraising for much needed cancer research for Ireland and for everybody, on behalf of the memory of the great Pat Smullen.”

Charity race riders: Saffron Oliver, Fergus Lawlor, Anne Widger, Hannah Smullen, Kate Harrington, Betty Turner, Alan McParland, Joey Ryan, Katy Gordon Quayle, Sue Shortt, Sinead Smullen, Nicole Weir, Gillian Cody, Ber Fahey, Grainne O’Neill.

Charity race donations: gofundme.com (search each rider’s name)

Race tickets: curragh.ie

Auction bids: //app.galabid.com/patsmullen23

Register for cycle: coasttocurragh.ie