ONE of the 25 jockeys taking part in next Saturday’s Punchestown Kidney Research Fund Charity Race is a kidney transplant recipient.

This will be the 33rd running of the race which highlights the success of organ donation and transplantation. To date this race has raised over €1.8 million for various kidney-related projects for the Kildare-based registered charity.

Among those selected to ride in this year’s edition is Sara Jane Tracy from Kill, Co Kildare.

In 2015, when Sara Jane was 28, she was diagnosed by multiple sclerosis. She had previously been a promising show jumper who worked in Holland and Germany. Sara Jane refused to give up on working with horses and, with the help of a new training regime and the guidance of her uncle, the show jumper Edward Doyle, she returned to competitive show jumping in 2016.

Illness struck again in 2017 when Sara Jane suffered kidney failure. She spent a long time in hospital, critcally ill at times, but again battled her way back into the saddle.

Sara Jane takes up the story: “In a life-altering moment in November 2021, my godfather Alex Tracy gifted me a second chance at life by donating his kidney. This selfless act, supported by his family and the exceptional medical teams at Beaumont and St. Vincent’s hospitals, marked the end of a challenging five-year wait on the transplant list and catapulted me from severe illness to robust health. Overwhelmed with gratitude, I am now committed to giving back to those who face similar challenges.”

Now Sara Jane is keen to raise as much organ donor awareness as she can. In another twist to the tale, next Saturday Sara Jane will be joined on the starting line by her cousin, Jack Tracy, who is travelling from Germany to take part in the race.

Flying in

Jack is not the only ‘mad hatter’ flying in to ride in the charity race. Maurice McCarthy and Patrick Chesters will be representing England.

Niall McCarthy is travelling from Co Down and flying the Cork flag is Joan Tyner who works for Goffs.

Spare a thought for elite marathon runner and jockeys agent Garry Cribbin who has signed up for the challenge and can expect plenty of constructive criticism from his clients Rachael Blackmore, Mark Walsh, Darragh O’Keefe and Sean Flanagan.

Wicklow’s Grace O’Rourke won the RTÉ Ultimate Hell Week competition in 2019 and agrees this is just as big a challenge. Another television star taking part is Athy-based trainer Adrian Sexton who previously appeared on Ireland’s Fittest Family.

Kildare locals Anna Cropper, Paddy Hayes and Eimear Smullen are sure to have huge local support.

Co Tipperary trainer Tim Doyle seems to have a conveyor belt of jockeys and his daughter Cora will be making her second appearance in the race.

Punchestown debutants include Kilkenny hurler Dan Blanchfield, David Morgan, Nina di Brita, Conor Hawkins and Joanna Thornton.

If you want to mark your card with those who already have some racecourse experience then note the names Grace Dorgan, Paddy Leigh, Michelle O’Brien, Peter Rathigan, Gary Harkin and Jamie Kavanagh.

And put a big ring around the name Glen Norris who attracted plenty of attention when he won the Corinthian Challenge last year.

Race organiser James Nolan says there were 74 applicants for the 25 places in this year’s race. All 25 amateur jockeys have completed a fitness assessment at RACE and they have all passed a medical test. Most importantly, each rider has raised a minimum of €1,500 for the Punchestown Kidney Research Fund.

Over the past five years the PKRF has supported the following projects:

CHARITY RACE RIDERS

Maurice McCarthy, Grace Dorgan, Grace O’Rourke, Conor Hawkins, Nina di Brita, Sara Jane Tracy, Paddy Leigh, Michelle O’Brien, Peter Rathigan, Niall McCarthy, Patrick James Chesters, Eimear Smullen, Adrian Sexton, Jack Tracy, Joan Tyner, David Morgan, Garry Cribbin, Joanna Thornton, Dan Blanchfield, Paddy Hayes, Anna Cropper, Gary Harkin, Glen Norris, Jamie Kavanagh, Cora Doyle.