ENERGETIC staff from Warwick Racecourse are preparing to go a furlong or two for charity.
They will attempt to run around every racecourse in Ireland in just three days. The challenge will see the team of four dash around 26 racecourses, completing a total running distance of 284 furlongs or 35 and a half miles in the process.
To add to the running there will be 26 hours of driving involved in order to complete the challenge and travel just over 1,000 miles.
The team will start their journey at the Curragh, County Kildare at 7am on Tuesday August 6 and aim to arrive at Leopardstown in County Dublin three days later in time for starters orders in the Ballyroan Stakes at 7pm.
The challenge aims to raise funds for Racing Welfare, a charity committed to supporting and offering professional guidance to those who work in horseracing across the United Kingdom.
The charity offers a range of services covering physical and mental health, careers, debt and benefits, retirement and housing, in addition to organising hundreds of social and sporting events each year to bring racing communities together.
Warwick Racecourse general manager Andre Klein will be joined by clerk of the course Jane Hedley, operations executive Tommy Williams and Weatherby’s Stud Book director Simon Cooper.
Andre and Simon previously ran around all 52 of the thoroughbred racecourses in New Zealand in 2012 to raise money for spinal injury research.
Andre said: “We recognise the challenges that people working in racing face every day, from the stud and stable staff to those working in office-based roles, and we are keen to put back into the industry we are all so passionate about, which is why we are supporting Racing Welfare
“It will be a tough test but it’s one we are all looking forward to. The team are all training for it and determined to complete the challenge.
“We’ll be running around nine tracks on the first day, nine on the second and finishing with eight on the final day.
“The plan is to arrive just in time to enjoy the Group 3 Ballyroan Stakes at Leopardstown.”
The team are being supported by sponsors Hy-Kleen of Warwick and Racing Breaks.
Dawn Goodfellow, chief executive of Racing Welfare, said: “We are grateful to Andre, Simon and team for undertaking this challenge to raise funds for Racing Welfare.
“Warwick Racecourse are fabulous supporters of the charity and we really appreciate the efforts of the whole team there, not only in their drive to fund-raise for Racing Welfare, but also for helping to raise awareness of our services.
Visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/racing-welfeire to donate.
