Pat Smullen

Professor Grainne O'Kane was appointed the inaugural Pat Smullen Chair in Pancreatic Cancer at University College Dublin, Cancer Trials Ireland announced on Friday. The new position will anchor expertise in pancreatic research in Ireland, with the ambition of creating a global centre of excellence for the treatment and research of this form of cancer. The role will allow O'Kane to divide her time between clinical work as a treating physician at St Vincent's University Hospital and research work at UCD School of Medicine, where she will work to identify, attract,...

A total of 20 jockeys have been confirmed for the Pat Smullen Cancer Trials Ireland Charity Race at the Curragh on Saturday, Aug. 31. Part of the Pat Smullen Race Day in aid of Cancer Trials Ireland, the race, supported by the Breeze-Up Consigners Association and Smullen's son Paddy, is just one of the events and activities that will raise funds for the leading cancer research trials organisation in Ireland. The riders, who have to raise a minimum of €3,000 for the charity, will ride over the world famous 12...

Frances Crowley has ruled out a full scale return to the training ranks and described sending out her first runner in 16 years at Leopardstown on Friday as "just a bit of fun" with the ultimate goal being to provide her daughter Hannah with a breakthrough victory in the saddle.  Wife of the late Pat Smullen, a nine-time champion jockey in Ireland, Crowley created history in 2005 when she became the first woman to win a Classic race in Ireland with Saoire storming to a memorable triumph in the 1,000...

The Pat Smullen race day, which will raise funds to aid Cancer Trials Ireland, will take place at the Curragh on Saturday, Aug. 26. Racegoers will have the opportunity to attend a post-race party with the band Superfly. Pat Smullen's daughter Hannah, former amateur jockey Kate Harrington and Olympian Sue Shortt are among 15 riders participating in the 12-furlong Pat Smullen Cancer Trials Ireland charity race supported by The Grafton Hotel, who are all raising funds individually. The race is held in memory of a family member or friend who...

Four summers ago, TDN had the privilege of having Pat Smullen as our weekly columnist. It would be easy to imagine that someone with as much knowledge of the racing game as the nine-time Irish champion jockey would just reel off a few thoughts and consider it job done, but that was not the way with Smullen. It was clear in our weekly chats that he took this new role every bit as seriously as he took race-riding, which he had to give up, reluctantly, at the age of 42,...

Cancer Trials Ireland, the national organisation dedicated to advancing cancer clinical trials, will create a new position to anchor expertise in pancreatic research in Ireland with the ambition of creating a global centre for treatment and research for a form of cancer with some of the poorest outcomes--the Pat Smullen Chair in Pancreatic Cancer at University College Dublin. The position will require shared time between clinical work as a treating physician at St Vincent's University Hospital--the national surgical centre for pancreatic cancer--and research work at University College Dublin (UCD). Candidates...

Tom Lacy received a heartwarming reception at the Irish Thoroughbred Breeders' Association Awards last week. And rightly so. A legendary figure in Irish racing, Lacy rode 50 winners on the Flat and found only Arkle and Flyingbolt too good aboard Height Of Fashion in two Irish Grand Nationals.  As a trainer, Lacy sent out hundreds of winners from Rhode, County Offaly, including Ingabelle (GB), who later became a hugely important foundation mare at Ballylinch Stud. His sons Barry and Tony rode multiple winners for the stable down through the years....

The Coast to Curragh charity cycle will be run for a second year in aid of Cancer Trials Ireland on Saturday, August 27, where the legendary Pat Smullen will be remembered on the day. The Curragh have dedicated the August 27 fixture to the nine-time Irish champion jockey and the racecourse chief Brian Kavanagh revealed that he hopes to grow the event. The Coast to Curragh Cycle, which raised more than €185,000 last year, starts at Laytown Racecourse at 8am taking in seven racecourses and two stud farms in total,...

It is a year of important milestones for Moyglare Stud, most notably the 60th anniversary of its foundation by Swiss businessman and philanthropist Walter Haefner. The 50th running of the G1 Moyglare Stud S. will also take place on Sept. 11 at the Curragh, the famed Irish racecourse and training grounds which have been the beneficiary of significant support from Eva-Maria Bucher Haefner, who took over the running of Moyglare on her father's death, at the age of 101, a decade ago in June 2012. A passionate equestrian who took...

A total of €145,000 was raised by the inaugural Coast to Curragh charity cycle for Cancer Trials Ireland. Created by Gavin Lynch, the event started at Laytown Races and finished at The Curragh Racecourse. Over 300 people participated, among them Rachael Blackmore, Shane Foley, Barry Geraghty, Paul Carberry and Tadhg O'Shea, in the 155km charity cycle. Members of the late Pat Smullen's family, his wife Frances, son Paddy, and brothers Ger and Brian, also took part. Pat's daughter Hannah and weigh room friend Kevin Manning were waiting at the finish...

It's a childish game but I've long amused myself by seeing how many song titles can be weaved into headlines and this weekend's results provided an open goal for a Neil Young classic, not once but twice.  Two hurricanes blew across Town Moor on Saturday at the opposite ends of the distance spectrum. Hurricane Ivor (Ire) (Ivawood {GB}) is an admirable sprinter who has bounced back from a blistering debut for Fabrice Chappet and subsequent illness that ruled him out of much of his juvenile season. He has been creeping...

The Coast To Curragh charity cycle will be staged on Sept. 25, with a host of racing personalities taking place in the event that will raise money for Cancer Trials Ireland in memory of Pat Smullen. Smullen, nine times Irish champion jockey and a beloved member of the Irish weighing room, lost his battle with pancreatic cancer last September after fighting so bravely and raising millions for Cancer Trials Ireland. The cycle will begin at Laytown Races and finish at The Curragh, a distance of 155 km that will feature...