Jockeys set to tee off in honour of former champion Joe Mercer

A maximum turnout is expected on Wednesday for the Joe Mercer Memorial Charity Golf Day at Donnington Valley Golf Club in Berkshire, where the riding legend was a regular until his death in May at the age of 86.

Mercer was champion jockey in 1979 and a two-time champion apprentice, riding over 2,800 winners in a career that spanned five decades.

The charity day, for which all proceeds go to the Injured Jockeys Fund, starts at 11am with some familiar faces from past and present set to take part, including Mercer's former weighing room colleagues Philip Robinson, Geoff Baxter and John Reid.

From the current crop, David Probert will participate alongside the recently retired George Baker, while trainer William Muir is also among the 88 scheduled to turn out.

Organiser and former jockey Trevor Rogers said: "We've had a really good response to the golf day for Joe and we were full up about a month ago. We have 22 teams of four teeing off from 11am and hopefully it will be a great day."

There will be an online auction to raise funds, which includes a package for four people at Ascot on November 20 complete with a three-course lunch and afternoon tea. Plenty of golf-related lots will be available too, including a fourball at championship course Woburn.

There is also expected to be plenty of interest in a package from Mercer's former colleague Bruce Raymond, which includes a morning on the Newmarket gallops, a private tour of Dalham Hall Stud, a day's racing at Newmarket and an overnight stay at the town's Heath Court Hotel.

To make a bid email paul.taplin@ijf.org.uk

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