Racing giants Coolmore boost Graham Lee appeal with Paddington gesture

The Bedale-based Grand National and Ascot Gold Cup-winning rider remains in Royal Victoria Infirmary Hospital in Newcastle after suffering serious neck and spinal injuries in a fall on the all-weather at Gosforth Park two weeks ago. Now a nomination to the Irish operation’s star colt Paddington is set to be auctioned off at Tattersalls early next month to raise funds for their injured countryman Lee.

A JustGiving page set up by Lee’s daughter Amy for the Injured Jockeys Fund was closing on the £155,000 mark last night – and the Coolmore team are keen to add their support by auctioning a nomination in their top-class three-year-old Paddington before the first ‘Sceptre’ lot at Tattersalls on December 4.

“Our partners Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, George Von Opel and Peter Brant along with everyone here at Coolmore and Ballydoyle wish Graham and his family all the very best,” said Coolmore’s MV Magnier.

Paddington rattled off four straight Group One victories in the space of 68 days, landing the Irish 2,000 Guineas, the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot, the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown and the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood.

The recently-retired son of Siyouni will stand his first season at Coolmore next year with a stallion fee of €55,000.

Meanwhile, Love Envoi could make her seasonal debut against Constitution Hill, as the BetMGM Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle is considered by connections.

Harry Fry’s mare is an eight-time winner who landed the 2022 Dawn Run at the Cheltenham Festival at the height of an unbeaten run that lasted until the final start of her novice season.

Last term she stepped into open company and held her own, winning a handicap and then a Listed event at Sandown before going down by a length and a half when beaten by Honeysuckle in the Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle at the Festival this year.

Her final run was an uncharacteristic beaten effort in the Mares Champion Hurdle at Punchestown.

“Harry’s very happy with her, the plan was always to look at the Fighting Fifth,” said Noel Fehily of owners Noel Fehily Racing Syndicates.

“She’s not guaranteed to go there, depending on how she’s training up to the time of the race, but if Harry’s happy with her she’ll go.

“If not she probably won’t start under after Christmas because there’s not a lot else for her. We will be looking at the Fighting Fifth closely until the last minute and we will see how she’s working.”

Jamie Moore will be out of action until the new year following injuries suffered in a nasty fall from Mi Sueno at Lingfield on Tuesday.

The 38-year-old was left with a fractured vertebra as well as broken ribs and a broken nose.

Moore’s brother Ryan, the top Flat rider has been forced to give up his ride on defending champion Vela Azul in Sunday’s Japan Cup after a fall.