Racecourse gives a boost to Jonjo fund

Racecourse gives a boost to Jonjo fund

23 October 2013

AN appeal fund set up to help a young jockey seriously injured in a fall earlier this year has been boosted by £34,000 from Downpatrick Racecourse.

The Racecourse donated the proceeds from a meeting on Friday to the Jonho Bright Trust Fund which is providing care for the young jockey after he suffered life changing injuries.

An auction for sporting memorabilia was extremely popular at Friday’s event, significantly boosting the final figure.

One item that held appeal to many local soccer fans was a vintage Irish football, signed by Northern Ireland and Manchester United legend Harry Gregg.

The soccer memorabilia available to the highest bidder also included a signed Celtic shirt and Wayne Rooney’s Manchester United shirt, which was donated by Sir Alex Ferguson.

Golf fans had a chance to bid for a shirt signed by former Open Champion Darren Clarke and a four-

ball, plus lunch, at Royal County Down.

For the horse racing fans there was a saddle signed by 18-times champion jockey Tony McCoy, and a framed set of breeches and whip also signed by McCoy.

The horse racing items included items signed and donated by jockeys Joseph O’Brien, Charlie Swan, Barry Geraghty and champion flat jockey Richard Hughes.

Horse racing trainers Nicky Henderson and Aiden O’Brien also donated items and there was the chance to win a tour of Coolmore Stud, a morning with trainer Gordon Elliot and lunch for two at Fairyhouse Racecourse, or a morning with trainer Noel Meade and lunch at Navan racecourse.