Dettori & Mullins name teams for Barney Curley Charity Cup Rachael Blackmore, Jamie Spencer plus title rivals Colin Keane and Billy Lee are just some of the top riders that will be taking part in the inaugural Barney Curley Charity Cup at Bellewstown on September 28. Team captains Frankie Dettori and Willie Mullins have named their line-ups to compete in two races sponsored by Gannon City Recovery & Recycling Services Limited and The Gallagher Group. Dettori’s team consists of Jamie Spencer, Shane Kelly, Tom Queally, Seamie Heffernan, Billy Lee, Chris Hayes and Siobhan Rutledge, while champion jumps trainer Mullins can call on Rachael Blackmore, Colin Keane, Wayne Lordan, Declan McDonogh, Shane Foley, Dylan Browne McMonagle and local apprentice Robert Whearty. Points will be awarded to the first eight placed horses on a scale of 15, 12, 10, 8, 7,6, 5, 4 and the team that accumulates the highest number of points across the two races in the challenge will win the Barney Curley Charity Cup. Dettori sad, “I really want to win the inaugural Barney Curley Charity Cup so have picked a team that will give us every chance to lift the cup. Jamie, Shane and Tom, all great friends of Barney, are travelling over from the UK especially for this event. “Seamie Heffernan is one of the most experienced jockeys in the weigh-room, while Billy and Chris are having great seasons. Siobhan is one of Ireland’s top apprentices and is hugely talented, so I’m confident we will give Willie’s team a good run for their money.” Dettori rode a winner at this meeting last year but will manage from out of the saddle due to a 14-day suspension picked up in Germany. Mullins is also looking forward to the event saying, “The pressure is on the home team to win the first Barney Curley Charity Cup so I’ve picked a very competitive team, with a great spread of experience, who all know what it takes to win. “Bellewstown is Roberty Whearty’s home racecourse, so it’s great to have that local knowledge on the team. Rachael and Colin are well used to breaking glass ceilings while Wayne, Declan, Shane and Dylan have been racking up the winners this year. We are going to give it our all in memory of Barney and the great work he did with DAFA.” Alan Delany, Vice Chair of Bellewstown, said: “Frankie and Willie have assembled two amazing teams of riders which should make for a brilliant race day. This is the first of what Bellewstown hope will become a very special event on our fixture list, all in honour of our great friend Barney Curley and to support his wonderful charity, Direct Aid for Africa (DAFA).” Tickets are available to purchase online at www.bellewstownraces.ie and are €20, €10 of which will be donated to DAFA, which Barney set up in 1996 to support the underprivileged people of Zambia.
