DOWNPATRICK TO DUNDALK usually takes no more than an hour, but it’s set to take an Irish horse breeder quite a bit longer tomorrow.
Peter O’Reilly is attempting to ride a lap of every racecourse in the country tomorrow, all in the aid of the Injured Jockeys’ Fund.
The former jockey and current breeder will start what he’s calling “The Longest Ride” at Downpatrick at 4:45am, using helicopter, car and of course, horseback to complete the challenge.
O’Reilly, who usually spends his weekends riding out for Ted Walsh, will work his way all around the country, hoping to complete his final lap in Dundalk before sunset.
“I wanted to do something for the injured jockeys, and I got a brainstorm for a great idea, no one had ever done it, but as I get closer to it I don’t know whether I’m mad or not.
“Ride every track, 26 of them in all, in 24 hours, so I’m calling it the Longest Ride. We start at a quarter to five on Sunday morning in Downpatrick, in the north-east, then we go Down Royal, Sligo, down the western seaboard into the south, and places like Mallow.
“Across then to the south-east, Wexford, Tramore, then back up the east coast and finish in Dundalk at around quarter to nine – touch wood – on Sunday night.”
With such a short time frame to work in, O’Reilly been given the use of a helicopter of work his way down the western seaboard, and will travel by car for his east coast routes.
O’Reilly says without a helicopter, which has kindly been sponsored, along with his petrol expenses, not only would he get nowhere near the €25,000 target, the challenge would be physically impossible.
“It’s tight enough, the only way that you could do it is get a helicopter for it, and thankfully it’s been sponsored, otherwise it would be a non runner. I’ve allowed 15 minutes at every track, so hopefully I should do in shorter than that.
“Two thirds of the course will be with the helicopter and the last eight courses will be in a car,” he adds.
While the challenge itself is to complete it in 24 hours, realistically he admits it needs to be done in daylight hours.
Picking the longest day of the year for The Longest Ride, then, was a no brainer.
“We’re starting at ten to five in the morning, and we should have an hour at the other end for sunset. The reason I chose it was the 21st of June, the longest day of the year, just to get that extra bit of light that I might need.”
After the several injured jockey charities amalgamated to form the Irish Injured Jockeys fund last year, O’Reilly says that having one large body will provide a greater service to those in need of help.
And with around half a million euro needed every year to run the fund, O’Reilly is hopeful of bringing together €25,000 with his 24 hour challenge.
“It is a big cause because what they’ve done is last year they amalgamated all the different bodies under the one umbrella. Last year there were various funds, but when they brought them all under the one umbrella of the Irish Injured Jockeys’ fund last year, they were able to put a more professional structure.
“The aim is to drive fundraising, because I think they need around €500,000 a year to support the various jockeys who are on the sidelines, like JT McNamara’s very high-profile case, and more recently his cousin Robbie who had a bad fall at Wexford.
“It’s a fund that will always be needed given that nature of the sport.”
With timing crucial, O’Reilly will have a local horse ready to go at each track when he arrives.
He’s encouraging anyone who can to pop along to support the lap, but be warned, he won’t be hanging around for a chat.
“At each track I’ve a trainer, a local trainer with a horse ready for me, so I’ll be ready to go.”
“The managers have been very helpful, they’re opening all the tracks so if anyone is around and wants to drop in they’re more than welcome.
“I’ll be in and out to be honest just trying to get it done. Until I get to Dundalk I’ll be flat out.”
To donate to Peter O’Reilly’s Longest Ride in aid of the Irish Injured Jockeys, click here.
