Lifeline for Racehorse Sanctuary following £7,500 charity grant

The Racehorse Sanctuary, a charity that looks after and rehomes ex-racehorses, was on the brink of extinction during lockdown but has received a vital grant of £7,500 in its fight for survival.

In April, the Sanctuary requested donations after facing financial difficulty with all major fundraising stopped due to the coronavirus outbreak. ITV Racing commentator Richard Hoiles raised £1,367 with his Sanctuary 26 challenge, where participants were asked to name an A to Z of their favourite horses.

But now Support Adoption for Pets (SAFP), a charity run by Pets at Home, has donated a grant £7,500 to support the West Sussex-based Sanctuary.

'It's a case of how long we can survive' - racehorse charity urging for support

Co-founder Graham Oldfield said: "I’m absolutely delighted that we have met the grant funding criteria and received this amazing sum from Support Adoption for Pets.

"We give horses all the time they need to be ready for their new home, so our running costs are always at the back of our minds.

"This will help us to pay vets bills and support our rehoming programme, finding these amazing animals their place in the world. Thank you SAFP."

Funeral for jockey Liam Treadwell to be held at Arundel Cathedral

The funeral of Liam Treadwell will take place at Arundel Cathedral in West Sussex on Wednesday, July 22, with a live stream of the service available for those who cannot attend.

Treadwell, 34, died last month at his home in Billingsley near Bridgnorth, and his family announced a day of remembrance will be arranged for friends and family after further easing of restrictions by the government.

The live stream for the funeral, which starts at 10am, can be found through the Arundel Cathedral website.

The funeral is family flowers only, but any donations can be made in person on the day or via HD Tribe, Funeral Directors, 19 West St, Storrington, Pulborough RH20 4DZ. All donations will be shared between the Ebony Horse Club, Brixton and Arundel Castle Cricket Foundation.

Godolphin staff covering the miles to raise money for Covid-19 charities

Godolphin employees worldwide have been running, walking, swimming, cycling or riding to raise money for Covid-19 charities.

The aim of the Godolphin Winning Line Challenge was for staff to cover the number of miles connecting Godolphin locations across the world, a total of 28,300, starting and finishing in Dubai.

Not only was the target met, it was far exceeded, for the final mileage recorded by the teams in Australia, the UAE, Ireland, Japan, the UK and the US was 67,165 miles and several thousand pounds will now be distributed between each region’s chosen charity.

In the UK, staff raised money for the Newmarket Festival Covid-19 fund, while in Ireland funds will be divided between Friends of St Brigid’s Hospice (Kildare), St Francis Hospice (Blanchardstown) and South Tipperary Hospice Movement.

Hugh Anderson, managing director of Godolphin UK and Dubai, said: “While the primary aim of the Godolphin Winning Line Challenge was to raise money for Covid-19 charities in each of our regions, coming together as a team with a single aim was also very much at the heart of this. To surpass our goal by so far is fantastic. I’m very proud of everyone who donated and took part.”

Total prize-money doubled for Naas feature

A record entry for the inaugural running of the Irish EBF Ballyhane Stakes at Naas next month has prompted a 60 per cent bump in prize-money as well as a consolation race for the juveniles' contest.

With 563 two-year-olds put forward for the six-furlong event, which is restricted to horses by sires whose stock sold for a median value of no more than €75,000 in 2019, the prize fund has now been increased from €200,000 to €320,000, making it the most valuable juvenile event to be run in Ireland this season.

The winner will receive €150,000, while each of the 20 runners will be rewarded with at least €2,000. There will be a 72-hour declaration for the August 23 contest, and there will also now be an €80,000 Silver Irish EBF Ballyhane Stakes for those who don't make the cut.

"We are delighted to be able to announce a consolation race to reflect the demand for this new event, along with a doubling in the total prize-money fund from the original figure of €200,000 to €400,000 between the two races, and a significant reduction in the cost of entry," said Horse Racing Ireland's director of racing Jason Morris.

Joe Foley, of sponsors Ballyhane, added: "We have been thrilled with the response to the race and are delighted to reward the owners and trainers who have entered with the increased prize-money. There are some exciting two-year-olds already targeting the contest and it should be a great occasion at Naas in August."

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