Apprentice Amy Jo Hayes leads the Barney Curley apprentice series, Horse Racing Ireland announced on Friday. Hayes has won the first two races–at Roscommon last month and at Gowran Park on June 3.
There are four more races in the series restricted to apprentices who have ridden less than 20 winners. The remaining races are scheduled for Bellewstown on July 4, Naas on July 24, Down Royal on Sept. 6 and Bellewstown on Oct. 2. Points are awarded for each race first through 10th (25, 18, 15, 12, 10, 8, 6, 3, 2, 1). For the winning apprentice, they receive a €2,000 voucher, an additional 10 equuip-funded hours with a jockey coach, a one-on-one tuition at RACE for one day, high performance analysis with jockey strength and conditioning coach Wayne Middleton and physiotherapist Gavin Egan, the RACE mobile unit visits the apprentice's yard to provide onsite training for all staff, a session with Dr Ciara Losty, sports psychologist, and a one-to-one financial literacy session from Gateway consultants. For the second- and third-place finishers, they receive a €250 voucher each.
Alan Delany, vice-chair of Bellewstown Racecourse, said, “We believe this apprentice race series is a fitting legacy to the memory of Barney Curley who was globally renowned and respected for his nurturing, mentoring and coaching of young apprentice jockeys over many decades.”
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