On Saturday, September 25 you could join a host of racing personalities on a unique charity cycle, taking in seven racecourses and two stud farms, all in aid of Cancer Trials Ireland in memory of jockey Pat Smullen who lost his battle with cancer in September 2020.

Starting at Laytown Races and finishing at the Curragh Racecourse, the Coast to Curragh charity cycle is 155km in total but yclists can join at any of the racecourses or stud farms and choose to cycle a variety of distances from 12km/25km/30km/55km/80km/110km or the entire 155km.

Members of Pat Smullen’s family along with Ruby Walsh, Johnny Murtagh, Paul Carberry, Joseph O’Brien, Fran Berry, Charlie Swan, Barry Geraghty, Paul Townend, Patrick Mullins and racing pundits Kevin Blake and Gary O’Brien are some of the racing stars who are supporting the cycle.

The cycle features a meet and greet with Harzand at Gilltown Stud. Harzand gave Pat Smullen his first triumph in the Epsom Derby in 2016. The pair went on to secure the Irish Derby a few weeks later.

The Coast to Curragh charity cycle is the brainchild of Gavin Lynch, who lost his mother Olive to pancreatic cancer. A huge racing fan, Gavin was also inspired by nine-time Flat champion jockey Pat Smullen who raised much-needed funds and awareness for pancreatic cancer trials over Longines Irish Champions Weekend in 2019 while fighting his own battle with the same illness.

The Coast to Curragh charity cycle stages are as follows:

7.30am Laytown Races / Laytown Beach (155km approx. from here to the finish)
8.30am Bellewstown Racecourse
10am Navan Racecourse (110km to the finish)
11.30am Fairyhouse Racecourse (80km to the finish)
12.45pm Moyglare Stud (55km to the finish)
2pm Naas Racecourse (30km to the finish)
2.15pm Punchestown Racecourse (25km to the finish)
2.45pm Gilltown Stud (Meet Harzand – 12km to the finish)
3.30pm Curragh Racecourse

To take part in the cycle, just register on the events page on the Cycling Ireland website. You can donate on the Coast to Curragh GoFundMe page, or you can email coasttocurragh@gmail.com for a sponsorship card. Sponsorship cards are also available in all Paddy Power shops

 

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