Doddiethegreat was a popular winner of the bumper at Huntingdon on Tuesday.
Trained by Nicky Henderson, the five-year-old runs in the Honeysuckle colours of owner Kenny Alexander.
He is named after Scottish rugby union great Doddie Weir, who is suffering from motor neurone disease and has set up his own charity to help others in the same situation.
The My Name’5 Doddie Foundation aims to raise funds to aid research into MND, and Alexander has donated everything Doddiethegreat earns to the charity – and on this showing, there will be plenty more.
Already a winner at Ludlow, the 5-6 favourite conceded lumps of weight to second-placed Kalmoor but ran out a four-and-a-half-length winner.
Both Henderson and jockey Nico de Boinville also donated their share of the winnings from the Racing TV-sponsored contest.
🏇 Lovely story behind this winner - DoddieTheGreat, named after Doddie Weir, the former Scottish rugby international who is battling MND, wins at @Huntingdon_Race!
— Sporting Life (@SportingLife) March 23, 2021
👏 Hats off to @NdeBoinville and @sevenbarrows for donating the prize money won today to @MNDoddie5 - class acts! https://t.co/NeEv7HTNCE
Peter Molony, Alexander’s racing manager, said: “Kenny met Doddie a few years ago at a rugby international. Scotland were playing Fiji, and Kenny has a Fijian sister-in-law. Her son was with them. They met Doddie, and he made their day – Kenny thought he was an absolute superstar.
“Kenny loves his rugby and was really keen to do something to help Doddie. It’s nice of Nico and Nicky as well.”
Molony is looking to an exciting future with the unbeaten gelding.
“I loved the way he won the last day, and the second came out and won well, which is always a good sign,” he said.
“It’s never easy to give away a penalty in a bumper, but he was giving a stone to a fancied horse today and won well. He won’t run again this season, that will be it, and we can look forward to going hurdling next season with him.”
