Niki O'Shea© Photo Healy Racing
President Higgins announced the Irish Team for 40th Australia V Ireland Jockey Challenge at the Galway Festival yesterday.
The 2015 Irish National Hunt Jockeys' Team to face Australia in this year's Jockeys' Challenge was announced at the Galway Races by President Michael D Higgins. Jockeys Jonathan Burke, who partnered Shanahan's Turn to win 220,000 Euro thetote.com Galway Plate on Wednesday, and Jody McGarvey will fly out to join Australian-based riders Niki O'Shea and Johnny Allen, to make up the Irish team.
Nominated by Thoroughbred Racing South Australia, Niki and Johnny are among seven Irish jockeys sponsored to live and work in Australia and the Racing Authority hopes that including them in the Irish team will encourage more Irish jockeys to travel to Australia.
It has been 30 years since the first challenge, which took place in Ireland, and this will be the 40th clash between Australian and Irish teams of jump jockeys. Over the years, on nine occasions, a challenge took place in both countries in the same year. This is the 29th consecutive year that an Irish team has been invited to Australia to participate.
Team Australia won the Australia V Ireland Jockeys Challenge last year, despite Ireland winning the first leg. The score in the series stands at 24 wins for Ireland and 14 for the Australians with one drawn series. The last time that an Australian team came to Ireland was in 2007 when the visitors proved successful.
Brian Kavanagh, Chief Executive of Horse Racing Ireland (HRI) said: "It's hard to believe that this is the 40th time that an Irish team of jump jockeys will take on their Australian counterparts. It's an honour for the jockeys that have been selected and it's a great initiative for promoting horse racing here and in Australia. I wish the very best of luck to Team Ireland in the five races."
Jonathan Burke is the current Champion Conditional Jockey and is retained rider to leading owners Ann and Alan Potts, while Jody McGarvey is based with Curragh trainer Christy Roche. Like Jonathan, Jody is making his maiden voyage to Australia and he is looking forward to the trip.
He commented: "It is exciting to travel and to do it through racing is brilliant. I'm looking forward to riding in Australia; it will be a wonderful experience. I have spoken to a few of the lads who have been on the team before and they say it's a great trip to be part of."
Jonathan and Jody will fly out with Team Manager Sean Lynch on August 22nd and the series consisting of five races - one in Murray Bridge on Wednesday August 26th, two in Ballarat on Thursday August 27th and two on Irish Day in Morphettville on Saturday, August 29th. Irish day at Morphetville ranks as the second biggest raceday of the year in South Australia, attracting a large Irish contingent.
