Aaron Fahey online auction
attracts high-profiles lots
A NOMINATION to Walk In The Park is among more than 30 items being auctioned online at the moment in aid of Aaron Fahey. Son of Monasterevin trainer Paul Fahey, Aaron suffered life-changing injuries in a recent farming accident and is awaiting a place in the National Rehabilitation Centre.
Auction items include plenty of photographs, silks and jerseys signed by sporing celebrities. There are racecourse hospitality packages and private tours of leading racing yards. Bidding closes next weekend.
Web: app.galabid.com/aaronfahey
Punchestown’s new €50,000
bonus for Festival winner
PUNCHESTOWN Racecourse and BetVictor have put up a €50,000 bonus for the first horse to win at the 2025 Punchestown Festival having won one of 11 qualifying races at the track this season. Punchestown marketing manager Leona Hughes said: “The €50,000 BetVictor Graduation Bonus Series is exactly the kind of exciting initiative that we love to see at Punchestown. Future champions emerge throughout the season here and with a €50,000 bonus on the table it is a great incentive to encourage even more thrilling festival performances.”
Aintree aim for last season’s Grand National winners I Am Maximus and Intense Raffles
I AM Maximus and Intense Raffles both have the 2025 Grand National at Aintree as their main aim this season. I Am Maximus won this year’s National impressively off a mark of 159, while Intense Raffles won the Irish Grand National with authority off a rating of 140.
Willie Mullins said of I Am Maximus: “After the Grand National last year, I said that I think I Am Maximus is a Gold Cup horse and I still do. But I think connections are much happier to go back for the Grand National and have another good go at it.
“Red Rum won the race three times and Tiger Roll won two. I think J.P. [McManus] would be keen to have a horse that could do that - win two and maybe go on for a third one. If you don’t try you don’t succeed, so that is our plan.”
Tom Gibney, trainer of Intense Raffles, says he plans to campaign his stable star over hurdles until the Aintree weights are published. “He is good, is training away in good form and not a bother on him. The boys (owners Issac Souede and Simon Munir) are keen on Aintree, so that is the main aim at the end of the season, so we’ll work everything back from there. We are looking to start him somewhere in November, but don’t know where yet. The plan is to preserve his chase mark by going over hurdles for most of this season.”