Huntingdon race named in honour of disabled racegoers champion Peter Greaves

Peter Greaves, who worked tirelessly over 34 years to improve facilities for disabled racegoers in Britain, will be remembered at Huntingdon on Saturday with the first running of the Peter Greaves Memorial Handicap Chase (2.33).

A passionate racegoer and lover of horses, Greaves was struck down with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) in the early 1980s. Far from letting his disability curb his enthusiasm for racing, he channelled his passion for the sport into a crusade to improve disabled racecourse facilities.

Greaves made several appearances on Channel 4 Racing as he raised awareness and, along with good friend Jeremy Reynolds, travelled far and wide to meet with racecourse officials and offer recommendations for improvements.

Author of the Disabled Racegoers Guide, Greaves is credited with vastly improving the experience for the disabled racegoers, with the viewing platform at the front of the members' enclosure at Sandown just one example of his legacy.

Greaves died in 2020 at the age of 77 but his widow Sylvia and friend Reynolds are delighted to see him remembered at one his local and favourite tracks on Saturday.

"Peter absolutely loved all aspects of horseracing – it excited and enthralled him and gave him a new mission in life," said Reynolds. "I admired such a courageous and inspirational man and it is entirely appropriate that a chase is being run in his memory at Huntingdon, one of Peter’s favourite racecourses, with his family and friends there to celebrate his life and achievements."

As well as helping to improve on-course facilities, Greaves was an enthusiastic fundraiser and racing manager of the Spinal Injuries Association (SIA). He managed to lease several horses on the Flat and over jumps on the charity's behalf, raising more than £50,000 through prize-money.

Perhaps his greatest coup was securing the lease on Lower Egypt, owned by Sheikh Mohammed and trained by John Gosden, in 1994. Under Frankie Dettori, Lower Egypt won twice at York and finished second in the Royal Hunt Cup in the colours of the SIA.

His friends and family will be guests at Huntingdon, including daughter Helen and son Steve, who has travelled from Australia to attend. Other guests include members of the Bedford and District Racing Club where Greaves was a keen member.

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