Legendary jockey Pat Smullen to have race named in his honour at Newmarket season-opener

The late Pat Smullen is to have a race named in his honour

Michael Verney

March 30 2021 03:21 PM

The legendary Pat Smullen will have a race named in his honour when Newmarket hosts its first day of the new British Flat season at next month's Craven meeting.

Smullen, a nine-time Irish champion flat jockey and one of the most popular characters in the weighing room. died last September aged 43 after a long battle with cancer but the Offaly great will be remembered at British flat racing's headquarters.

The Pat Smullen Memorial Handicap will feature on the opening day of the Craven meeting on April 13 on a track where the Rhode native had many of his finest moments including English 2,000 Guineas success with Refuse To Bend in 2003.

Former jockey Ted Durcan, who rode in the the famous Pat Smullen Champions Race at the Curragh in 2019 where €2.5 million was raised for Cancer Trials Ireland, has sponsored the event in honour of his late friend.

“There were a lot of people in England at the time of Pat's funeral who weren't able to pay their respects with all the Covid restrictions,” Durcan said.

“I know many of us would have liked to have been able to hold a memorial service, which we weren't able to do, and this is just hopefully a nice way to remember Pat.

“The Craven meeting is always a very exciting time and Pat had huge success over the years at the Rowley Mile. The team at Newmarket were extremely helpful and only too happy to stage a race in Pat's name.”

Each member of staff leading up a horse for the Pat Smullen Memorial Handicap will receive a bonus of £25 as a token of appreciation with Newmarket officials delighted to "bring back some happy memories" of the racing icon.

"Pat was no stranger to big-race success here at Newmarket and we hope the race can mark his achievements both in and out of the saddle and bring back some happy memories for his family and many friends across the British and Irish racing industries,” Newmarket general manager Sophie Able said.