Help for injured athletes Injured Jockeys Fund Newsletter No 15 Autumn 2019 IJF centre opens its doors in Newmarket By Jonathan Powell significant moment in the history of place and amazing facilities we are really the Injured Jockeys Fund.” looking forward to engaging with jock - A project long in the planning will reach Leading jockeys including Frankie eys, both current and retired, and the Scott bows fulfilment when IJF President Sir Dettori, Ryan Moore, James Doyle and wider racing population in Newmarket. Anthony McCoy opens Peter O’Sullevan William Buick have given their seal of “Jockeys are now fully aware of the House in Newmarket on October 11. approval during visits to the site as benefits of a fit and healthy body and out after 41 The imposing building adjacent to building neared completion. mind. By working closely with the BRS the British Racing School will provide Chief Executive Lisa Hancock says, in Newmarket we will be able to sup - years at IJF expert and intensive rehabilitation serv - “This third facility completes our nation - port riders throughout every stage of Brough Scott is stepping down as ices using treatment rooms, a gym and wide coverage. With a fantastic team in their careers and beyond.” chairman of the Injured Jockeys Fund a state of the art hydrotherapy pool. after 41 years as a trustee. A legendary commentator, Sir Peter So, too, is our treasurer Jeff Smith was a lifelong supporter of jockeys and after sterling work over the past 15 years. you sense he would be immensely They have been at the forefront of proud of the IJF’s flagship centre that the creation and running of our three bears his name. imposing rehabilitation centres in Lam - Brough Scott, Chairman of trustees, bourn, Malton and Newmarket that reflects, “Sir Peter was a highly success - have taken this charity to a new level. ful punter and he would be thrilled that Long-serving trustee William Norris we have achieved a notable treble. QC becomes chairman in November “First came Oaksey House in Lam - and Dominic Burke will be treasurer. bourn exactly 10 years ago, then Jack Scott reflects, “While it’s been a won - Berry House in Malton. Now the open - derful ride there will never be a better ing of Peter O’Sullevan House is a Significant: Peter O’Sullevan House becomes the third IJF rehabilitation cen tre time to jump off. We have a really good guy to climb into the saddle. “William is a brilliant QC, was an en - Five great days for beneficiaries in Ireland thusiastic point-to-point pilot and for Just Champion. That was the unani - the last three years has chaired our Cases mous verdict from the party of IJF Committee with a mix of efficiency, beneficiaries who travelled to Eire in compassion and the sort of silky, legal July for the holiday of a lifetime. wit which John Oaksey treasured. A whirlwind five-day trip began with “Talking of treasures, Jeff Smith, our a dawn start from Chester and an own treasurer, is also standing down evening meeting at Killarney, the most after somehow finding time beyond his picturesque of Irish racecourses. family, business and racing interests to Our guests were then thrilled to guide us through the financial hazards meet our President Sir Anthony of our massive three-centre expansion. McCoy for drinks at their hotel, the Champions all: Sir AP with Istabraq and IJF beneficiaries at Martinstown Stud “The IJF has had some class acts, but Dunraven Arms in Adare. Next morning nothing better than the masterful tal - Sir AP played host as he introduced his Camelot and the daddy of them all, Vice President Jack Berry is complete ents Jeff brought to the table”. Grand National winner Don’t Push It Galileo, who looked magnificent. without a late night singsong which he Our Chief Executive, Lisa Hancock, and the legendary triple Champion This was followed by a tour of Cool - duly organised with some traditional adds, “Brough’s support and generosity Hurdler Istabraq at the Martinstown more Stud, including the Legacy Room, Irish musicians. Once again Jack led to the Fund has been immense and his Stud of their owner JP McManus. home to countless trophies, before from the front. compassion and empathy with our ben - This was followed by a splendid lunch in the boardroom. Special guests who joined our group eficiaries is phenomenal. If ever there is lunch courtesy of JP at the Carriage Our thanks to Aidan O’Brien’s secre - at various points included JT a way for the Fund to help make life eas - House at his Adare Manor Hotel which tary Polly Murphy, who laid on a sur - McNamara’s widow Caroline, the family ier for a beneficiary Brough will always will hold the Ryder Cup in 2026. prise visit to the yard and gallops at of talented apprentice Laura Barry who be looking to say Yes. The next day began with a parade of Ballydoyle which left one of our bene - died tragically from cancer in 2018 on “Thanks to Jeff’s wise counsel the stallions at Coolmore Stud, Fethard, in - ficiaries overcome with emotion. the eve of her wedding and Brian Fund has successfully financed three sig - cluding Gleneagles, The Gurkha, No holiday involving our red shirted Toomey’s parents Johnnie and Marian. nificant capital projects in only 10 years. ” 1 Compassion l Care l Support IJF Newsletter 2019 News Fundraising news Gold Cup Prattle for carol service A brilliantly funny reading by Robert Bathurst left the congregation in stitches at our annual carol service in Lambourn last December. Star of Downton Abbey and Cold Feet, the actor delivered a litany of fa - miliar, far-fetched excuses for beaten horses in his lively and perceptive ren - dering of Gold Cup Prattle. A passionate follower of jump rac - ing, Bathurst says he is happiest at Plumpton on a wet Monday. A group of Lambourn’s finest train - Skyfall: Sophie Ralston enjoys an adrenaline rush high above Salisbury Plain on the day she rode a winner at Chelmsford ers and some of their assistants then offered a novel version of Trainers Lament with Craig Pilgrim orchestrating matters on the keyboards. Sophie jumps to a This year’s carol service will be held in Lambourn on Tuesday December 10 followed by a reception at Oaksey double celebration House. by Jonathan Powell 15,000 feet to reward the IJF for its support “Your body is preparing to die and when she broke her foot two years ago. when you discover you are still alive it Plucky apprentice Sophie Ralston She explains, “I was feeling low and is a fabulous feeling, total relief. That achieved a remarkable double on a depressed,, knowing I would be out was the best bit of all. memorable spring day in April. for weeks, when your almoner Lucy “Before the parachute opened we First came her maiden spine-chilling Charnock phoned to see what she could were in freefall for a minute with the sky dive in Wiltshire in aid of this charity. do to assist. It was great to know some - wind in our face and the world far Then she dashed to Chelmsford in one cared and the IJF were quick to help below you. It was a different adrenaline time to ride the 25-1 shot Nicky Baby me both financially and emotionally. rush to race riding and I loved it.” to victory for her new boss, Dean Ivory. “I felt the least I could do in return was Sophie is not embarrassed to admit Ralston, aged 26, is enjoying a wel - give something back by way of a fund- that she threw up as she descended on come revival in her fortunes this year raising sky dive and to then ride a winner Salisbury Plain. after her impassioned letter calling on the same day was an amazing bonus.” She relates, “I felt awful when I trainers to give her more chances ap - Sophie was understandably tense in landed and remember thinking never peared in the Racing Post in January. the final moments before she leaped again. But I’m so glad I did it and now, She brought the same single-minded from the plane in tandem with her a few months later, maybe I wouldn’t determination to jumping from a plane at instructor Hank Post. rule out trying it again.” Hilarious: actor Robert Bathurst Cheltenham soccer match raises £50,000 in third year The Injured Jockeys Fund was the un - the goal scorers for the jockeys with doubted winner at a star-studded soccer Gordon Smith, a beaten finalist with match on a balmy spring evening at the Brighton in the 1983 FA Cup Final, notch - Johnny Rocks Stadium in Cheltenham. ing a late penalty for the losing side. The third annual game organised by The half-time break saw a sextet of racehorse owner Chris Coley raised jockeys, captained by champion Dickie over £50,000 for this charity. Johnson, pitched against the trainers Harry Redknapp was the centre of led by Jonjo O’Neill in a penalty shoot attention for TV crews and autograph out with Mansfield Town keeper and hunters in his role as the manager of Sir racing fan Conrad Logan rarely troubled Anthony McCoy’s XI. between the posts. In the adjoining dug-out the reigning A post-match auction took pro - champion trainer Nicky Henderson Rivals: Redknapp and Henderson Leader: Captain McCoy on the ball ceeds for the evening beyond £50,000 was a novel choice as manager of a with a Christmas card painting by multi-talented group of sportsmen Ben Pauling and former WBA Inter- best as our President AP McCoy led his Daniel Crane, ‘Silent Footfall’, knocked playing as the Unibet Invitation XI.