Sheikh Fahad wins Corinthian Challenge Race for second year

Sheikh Fahad rode Brutal to victory in the final leg of the 2017 Corinthian Challenge Charity Race Series at Leopardstown in October.

After winning the corresponding race on Labaik in 2016, Sheikh Fahad again successfully teamed up with Gordon Elliott when riding the Qatar Racing-owned three-year-old Brutal.

A dozen horses and riders lined up for the mile-and-a-half race, and Brutal was usurped as favourite just before the off by his stablemate Ibsen. However, Sheikh Fahad was alive to the danger and tracked Ibsen throughout, before making a sweeping move around that gelding as the leaders turned into the home straight.

Sheikh Fahad edged Brutal to the front two furlongs out and the pair never really looked like being caught thereafter, hitting the line with a length and three quarters to spare over Circling Moon. Ibsen finished third and long-time leader Edification was fourth.

It was a third success in the saddle for Sheikh Fahad as he also won the 2016 Town Plate on Newmarket on board Almagest.

The Corinthian Challenge Charity Race Series sees 14 amateur riders 'maintain the fitness and drive of a jockey by competing in a points system set across three racecourses the Curragh, Gowran Park and Leopardstown over a four-month period.' Last year it raised over €120,000 for Irish Injured Jockeys.

Ruby Walsh (pictured with Sheikh Fahad), chairman of Irish Injured Jockeys, said: ‚"We are now looking for riders for our 2018 Corinthian Challenge, which was so successful last year both in raising funds but also in building a greater awareness of our charity nationally and abroad.‚"

Find out more about the Corinthian Challenge by clicking here