€1.1 Million Raised: A Memorable Pat Smullen Charity Day at the Curragh

The Irish Angle team has hailed the success of the Pat Smullen Charity Day at the Curragh last weekend.

The annual event took place for the fourth time this year and broke the €1.1million mark in funds raised to support cancer research trials since its inception.

It was made extra special when Olivia Marnane won the Pat Smullen Cancer Trials Ireland Charity Race after her Mum, Theresa Marnane, passed away from cancer in December 2023.

Riding in the family silks, the Bronsan Racing-owned Mo Ghille Mar beat the likes of former jockeys Will Kennedy, Davy Condon and Pat Shanahan.

The Curragh To Curragh Cycle began in 2021 before the race day started alongside it the following year.

‘Racing At Its Best'

“We're always knocking the Curragh but it was a really successful day with the Pat Smullen charity day which includes this Curragh To Curragh Cycle as well,” irishracing.com editor Vincent Finegan said on this week's Irish Angle show.

“It's a serious success. Everyone in the industry has bought into it, loves it. It's a terrific day.”

Johnny Ward agreed with Vincent Finegan's assessment and said the success of the event should not be taken for granted.

“It's a terrific day — racing at its best,” Ward explained.

“There is a cost of living crisis for a lot of people and I think people will be sort of choosy as well with how they donate money now because you have a lot of GoFundMes. You have lots of things. You can donate money to starving people in Gaza or Sudan and some people have to actually pick and choose what they do with their money.

“So to to be still raising this amount of money is a massive achievement and I feel days like this are really really wonderful.

“Racing, when it has an event like this where there's a good cause involved and ultimately it's in memory of Pat as well, people come there to talk about Pat and what he's doing even posthumously in terms of this fundraiser and Gavin Lynch's work with the Curragh To Curragh Cycle as well. Phenomenal work.

“Cancer basically affects everyone in some regard in terms of people lost.

“I cannot get my head around how cancer in 2025 is so appallingly prevalent.

“Ollie Horgan who was an absolute legend in the League of Ireland is the latest person that I would have known [to be affected] was buried today in Galway.

“It's amazing that it's so hard to find a solution and all of this can only help. It's amazing work.

“Even the winning rider as well. I thought she looked very polished. Maybe she'll consider riding more horses in the future.

“Obviously she's gone through her own difficulties in her life losing her Mam.

“It was a marvelous event at the Curragh and the Curragh is the place for it, Pat's home track.

“Brilliant work by all involved. It's not easy. You can't just guarantee that people will donate money to these charities now and there are so many charities that are worthy of your support and this is still enduring.”

In 5 years the Pat Smullen Race Day including the Curragh To Curragh cycle has raised over €1.1 million for @cancertrials_ie which is remarkable, truly remarkable .

In year one back in 2021 we would have been delighted to have raised €50k.

A huge thank you to lots of people… pic.twitter.com/P3VAmhZDqT

— Gavin Lynch (@GLynchRacing) September 1, 2025

Credit To Brosnan Racing

“I thought it was a lovely touch as well that she (Olivia Marnane) rode in her Mum's colours even though they weren't the owner's colours," added Vincent Finegan.

“Brosnan Racing own the horse and they let her ride in her mom's colours which is a lovely touch and winning as well.

“I thought she gave a fantastic interview afterwards as well to Gary O'Brien on Racing TV.

“All in all, a terrific day and it should be more of that. I think it's something that racing does extremely well when it does it. Maybe that could be the saving of the Curragh. We talk about all the different things there, but a few more days like that would be fantastic, I think.”

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