Jockey’s Cheltenham-winning breeches up for auction

Bidding has opened on the breeches worn by Sporting Index ambassador Barry Geraghty when riding his final Cheltenham winner, Saint Roi, in this year’s County Hurdle.

Geraghty, who announced his retirement in July, has donated the signed and framed festival-winning breeches in an initiative to raise money for the Irish Injured Jockeys Fund (IIJF).

The breeches were worn for all four days of the Cheltenham Festival in March, where Geraghty equalled his personal best of five winners at the meeting.

Geraghty said: “Having had my fair share of injuries, I got to know about the superb work that the Irish Injured Jockeys Fund do. They play an integral part for jockeys and racing as a whole, and any support we can give them will be greatly appreciated I’m sure.

“Winning the County Hurdle on Saint Roi gave me a huge buzz, but it was obviously a strange feeling as I was getting off the horse in the winners’ enclosure at Cheltenham knowing it would be my last.

“I’m enjoying the new pace of life since retiring earlier this summer and I’m not missing the race-riding too much yet. The real test will be when the big days come around, though, and I have to watch the likes of Epatante, Defi Du Seuil and Champ on the TV screen!”

Bids can be made up until midnight on Sunday next, October 25, at https://www.jumblebee.co.uk/signedbarrygeraghtybreeches.

*Pictured above, Barry Geraghty signing the breeches he wore while riding his final Cheltenham winner, Saint Roi, in this year's County Hurdle.