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29 October 2024

BUMPER CROWD PAYS TRIBUTE TO KEAGAN KIRKBY AT WINCANTON, RAISING £116,000 FOR RACING WELFARE AND THE INJURED JOCKEYS FUND

A bumper crowd of 3,000 turned out to celebrate the life of Keagan Kirkby on Sunday 27 October at Wincanton Racecourse – a testament to the regard in which he was held within the racing community. The Keagan Kirkby Raceday included a charity memorial race in his name in addition to a seven-race card and raised funds for Racing Welfare and the Injured Jockeys Fund – the two charities which supported Keagan’s friends, family and colleagues after he tragically died in a point-to-point accident in February.

12 riders, including some of Keagan’s close friends, took part in the charity race and in doing so have collectively raised an incredible £46,700 so far. Bloodstock agent and former jockey Tom Malone took the spoils in a decisive victory aboard Alexei for Joe Tizzard and Brocade Racing, and was also the top fundraiser in the race, contributing a staggering £35.8k towards the total. Fittingly, in second and third were two of Keagan’s friends – Joe Wroe riding Recoded for Harry Derham, and Alfie Shalliker riding Fasol for Paul Nicholls.

Alfie, who lived with Keagan, said: “I miss him every day and the world’s a sadder place without him. Today is brilliant, he’d love it, it’s what he deserves. It was very emotional, but it’s a celebration more than sadness because he was a great guy and we’ll celebrate that today. It makes you feel good you know, proud because I’m riding in his memory. It was flat out the whole way I’d say but I had a very good time and I enjoyed it. He probably would’ve told me that I’d done everything wrong!”

460 people enjoyed a live auction and hospitality in the marquee, where Paul Nicholls paid tribute to Keagan, saying: “It’s hard to put into words the hole that Keagan left in all our lives really, to his family, to the whole team at Ditcheat, the tragedy that day – I was at Musselburgh when I got the call and it just knocked everybody for six – you just can’t imagine it happening to anybody. But he was doing what he loved.

“But you know the team, I mean all the young kids, it really affected them, Alfie was his best mate who rode in the charity race just now and was particularly badly hit. Racing Welfare, particularly Lucinda Gould who works for Racing Welfare, who used to work for us and used to look after Denman, played a massive part in looking after all those people. Racing Welfare does an awful lot for a lot of people. You need that, they pulled everybody through – a massive help and they’re a great help to everybody in the industry, not just stud and stable staff – anybody in racing, and the Injured Jockeys Fund as we all know do a fantastic job and the more money we can raise for them the better really.”

In total, the raceday has raised an estimated £116,000 which will be split equally between the two charities. Racing Welfare’s Chief Executive Dawn Goodfellow said: “The Wincanton racing community were very keen to do something in memory of Keagan. Obviously, the yard at Paul Nicholls’ and Keagan’s family have had a lot of support both from Racing Welfare and the Injured Jockeys Fund and all of the community down here appreciated that and wanted to do something in his memory to give something back. As Lisa Hancock [CEO at Injured Jockeys Fund] said, it just feels as though the whole of the west country are here and rooting for the two charities.

“Events like this raise much needed funds so we can be there for all of racing’s people, 365 days of the year, for mental and physical health, financial support, housing, and provide critical incident support at times of crisis as we did for Keagan’s friends and colleagues. It has been a fantastic day and we want to extend our grateful thanks to Wincanton Racecourse, the committee who have done such a wonderful job, the charity riders and of course all the sponsors.”

Blaithin Murphy, General Manager Wincanton Racecourse said: “It was an honour to be able to host our Charity raceday in memory of Keagan on Sunday. Keagan was a much-loved member of our local community, and we are very proud to have been able to welcome so many of his friends and family to the course to celebrate his life. The racing community are brilliant at coming together to support one another when times are hard, and we’re delighted such a fantastic amount of money has been raised for Racing Welfare and the Injured Jockey’s Fund.” 

Anyone wishing to add their support can still do so by texting KEAGAN to 70085 to donate £10.