'I was inspired by their bravery' - another incredible chapter in racing's Ukraine rescue efforts

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While the eyes of the racing world were on the Cheltenham Festival last week, an extraordinary rescue mission to the Ukrainian border was finally coming to fruition.

In June last year, a little more than four months after Russia's invasion of Ukraine, I joined a 1,000-mile aid trip from the UK to Poland in a horsebox driven by trainer Gay Kelleway. Among the group of volunteers were freelance box driver Julia Bennet and David Dormer, who had been head lad to leading trainers including Geoff Lewis.

A number of trips have taken place (and are still taking place) to deliver human and equine supplies to the area but this one was slightly different. Instead of bringing home empty vehicles, the group brought four displaced people back to the UK under the Homes for Ukraine scheme, including a couple in their 60s forced to flee Odessa.

"They were leaving behind family members," remembers Bennet. "We promised them then that if their family ever wanted to join them in the UK, we would personally go out and collect them." And that is exactly what Bennet and Dormer did last week.

Nine months after dropping the couple off to their new home in Bristol, Bennet got the all-important green light last Friday from the refugee centre in Katowice, Poland, confirming their daughter and two grandchildren had finally had their visas approved. The family would be reunited but first there was the matter of getting them to the UK.

"Decades working in racing means I'm no stranger to logistics but we had to work quickly to get everything in motion," says Bennet, who after hearing the news had to arrange plane tickets, car rental, visas, ready-to-travel letters and parking tickets on the Friday before taking Rouge Vif to Kempton the next day for Harry Whittington.

David Dormer hard at work delivering supplies on a previous tripCredit: Jonathan Harding/Racing Post

After a few hours of sleep and a very early start on Sunday morning, Bennet went to Bristol airport to meet Dormer. "I guess at least we didn't have to bother packing an overnight bag as we'd be home again before bedtime with a bit of luck," she adds.

They hopped into a rental car in Katowice, which Bennet compared to the beaten-up jeeps used by trainers on the gallops, and travelled to the refugee centre.

"It's an oasis of calm for its displaced residents," she says. "Families come and go and somehow share the joy and pain of being approved or turned down for onward travel. Our family group produces less luggage than most of us would take for a weekend away. They have survived so much and that was all they had left.

"I was inspired by their bravery and as we got to border control at the airport it was clear just how much this journey meant to them. My Ukrainian language skills have not yet evolved but my best, 'It's okay, we'll look after you,' seemed to help a little.

"By the time we took off the family was feeling anxious but exhaustion took over. At Bristol there is a queue for Ukrainian nationals with huge sunflower stickers on the floor, and the border officer could not have made the family feel more welcome."

Then came the moment they all had spent many months visualising and planning for. On a quiet residential street in Bristol, a family displaced from Odessa was finally reunited. "Dave and I just stood and felt an enormous sense of pride," says Bennet.

They have every reason to feel proud. They witnessed the human cost of the war first hand and took it upon themselves to make a difference. It cannot be overstated how much good aid missions under the banner of Racing to Help Ukraine, as well as those coordinated by Kelleway, have done since the war broke out in February 2022.

"Racing teaches us so much in terms of empathy, how to handle long days and logistics, and I have no doubt these qualities are the reason the relief efforts continue. Racing has done itself extremely proud this past year," reflects Bennet.

'I'll die with cancer and can't change it but I can change these people's lives' 

Friday's picks

Philip Hobbs and Johnson White got off the mark as joint-licence holders with their first winner on Thursday and they turn to an old favourite to help them strike again.

Popular course specialist Zanza lost his unbeaten chase record at Newbury when fourth in the Greatwood Gold Cup last time but now switches codes and races off an 18lb lower mark in a competitive-looking 3m handicap hurdle (3.10) at the track. He is giving plenty of weight to his younger rivals but is still worth backing each-way.

Zanza: performs best at Newbury

Also at Newbury, it is worth taking a chance on Precious Eleanor in the 2m6½f handicap chase (3.40). She was disappointing at Warwick last time but there was plenty to like about her penultimate start behind Il Ridoto and The Fugitif – who both ran well in the Plate last week – at Cheltenham in January. She looks to have been found an excellent opportunity to bounce back under in-form jockey Harry Cobden.

Sheila Lewis punches well above her weight with only a handful of horses and her stable star Straw Fan Jack ran an absolute belter to finish fourth in last week's Arkle.

The Brecon-based trainer has had more winners at Hereford than any other track and sends three runners, including Family Pot in the 2m5f handicap chase (3.50).

The eight-year-old did well to win after making a mistake at the last when dropped back to this trip here in February and has every chance of securing his hat-trick.

'He must be worth chancing' - top tipster Paul Kealy with four fancies on Friday  

Three things to look out for today . . .

1. The Racing Post Go North Festival kicks off at Musselburgh and trainer Dianne Sayer is bidding for a hat-trick in the Racing Post Go North Sea Pigeon Hurdle (3.30) after scoring with Iolani and The Navigator. She has four runners, including her two previous winners, but the Tom Lacey-trained Ivetwiggedit will take a lot of beating.

2. Brian Hughes, on course for his third jockeys' championship, is unsurprisingly the top jockey at Musselburgh this season with ten winners and he has a full book of rides at the track, the pick of whom is Quaresome in the opener (1.20). He is making his first start in Britain for Donald McCain after a victory at Roscommon.

3. It has not been plain sailing for Warren Greatrex in recent years but he is enjoying something of a resurgence and has already trained more winners than in the previous three seasons. He scored at Warwick on Wednesday with Art Of Illusion and will hope to maintain his momentum with Abuffalosoldier (3.10) at Newbury.

Read these next:

Five Irish-trained Flat horses to follow as the season gets under way this weekend  

JP McManus snaps up promising Willie Mullins-trained novice chaser I Am Maximus 

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The Front Runner is our latest email newsletter available exclusively to Members' Club Ultimate subscribers. Chris Cook, a four-time Racing Reporter of the Year award winner, provides his take on the day's biggest stories and tips for the upcoming racing every morning from Monday to Friday. Not a Members' Club Ultimate subscriber? Click here to join today and also receive our Ultimate Daily emails plus our full range of fantastic website and newspaper content.