33rd running of the annual Punchestown Charity Race at Punchestown Festival

Punchestown National Hunt Festival is to highlight, once again, the success of Organ Donation and Transplantation.
The 33rd running of the annual Punchestown Charity Race will take place on Saturday, May 4 at the Punchestown National Hunt Festival.
To date this race has raised over €1.8 million for various kidney related projects for the Kildare based, registered Irish Charity, The Punchestown Kidney Research Fund.
This year will be a very special year as amongst the 25 jockeys taking part will be Sara Jane Tracy who is a kidney transplant recipient from Kill, Co. Kildare.
Sara Jane explains: “In a life-altering moment in November 2021, my godfather Alex Tracy gifted me a second chance at life by donating his kidney.
“This selfless act, supported by his family and the exceptional medical teams at Beaumont and St. Vincent’s hospitals, marked the end of a challenging five-year wait on the transplant list and catapulted me from severe illness to robust health.
“Overwhelmed with gratitude, I am now committed to giving back to those who face similar challenges.”
In 2024 there were 74 applicants for the 25 places and all the 25 amateur jockeys have completed a fitness assessment at the jockey’s apprentice school RACE Centre in Kildare. Also, they have all had to pass a medical in order to participate.
On top of that before taking part all 25 jockeys have to raise a minimum of €1,500 for the Punchestown Kidney Research Fund, which is a Kildare based, registered Irish Charity.