Jockeys Paul and Nina Carberry to take part in the Golden Button
Top National Hunt jockey Paul Carberry and his sister Nina are hoping to take part in this year’s Ledbury Hunt’s Hayes Golden Button Challenge.
The three-mile race, which takes part along the banks of the River Severn in Gloucestershire, happens on New Year’s Eve.
The Golden Button Challenge involves a gallop across natural countryside over hedges, ditches and timber jumps.
Paul, who won the 1999 Grand National aboard Bobbyjo, trained by his father Tommy, said: “We’re just trying to sort out horses at the moment, but if we can find a couple of point-to-pointers or similar it would be good. I’m ringing around trying to sort something out.
“I’ve heard about the event and was chatting to Nina about it. She’s suspended on New Year’s Eve for a stick offence so said she’d give it a go. I’ve done a lot of hunting, but never ridden in anything like this before.”
Former champion jockey Richard Dunwoody will act as a starter and will run in the human race, which takes part alongside the equestrian version.
Up to 50 horses will take part in the race which starts at 11.30am on Thursday, 31 December.
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Other famous faces include Flat jockey Eddie Ahern, who won the event in 2007, and his colleague Adam Kirby.
Entry is £10 per car and the finish line is at Town Street Farm, Tirley.
Highlights can be seen during Channel 4’s Cheltenham coverage on New Year’s Day.
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A graduate of Exeter University, Amy joined our news team from Redpin Publishing in 2008 as news writer. She was promoted to deputy news editor in May 2013 and became news editor in April 2015. She left Horse & Hound in March 2016 to take up an editorial position in Dubai.