Limerick's Donal McInerney jets off to Australia for Jockey Challenge

LIMERICK jockey Donal McInerney jets out to Australia this weekend to represent Ireland in the 2018 Jockeys Challenge.

Talented Herbertstown horseman McInerney will fly out to Australia this Sunday, August 26, with Wicklow jockey Adam Short to join Australian-based jockeys Martin Kelly and Shane Jackson to make up the Irish team for the 2018 Australia v Ireland Jockey Challenge.

Donal McInerney rode out for trainers Enda Bolger and John Gleeson while at school and worked for another Limerick trainer Charles Byrnes for a year after completing his Leaving Certificate in 2012 before joining Robert Tyner.

He has worked for Bolger on a full-time basis since 2015 and while he failed to ride a winner on the track as an amateur rider, his luck changed straight away when he turned professional.

Just two days after gaining his licence, he partnered the Enda Bolger-trained Auvergnat to win the PP Hogan Memorial Cross Country Chase at Punchestown on Sunday, February 5th, 2017. It was his first ride in the paid ranks.

Donal enjoyed a terrific start to his professional career and less than 15 months after his initial success, he was crowned champion conditional rider for the 2017/18 season with a total of 33 winners.

Donal also rode a winner at this year’s Punchestown festival when Auvergnat, the horse that gave him his first winner, won the historic La Touche Cup over the famed banks’ course. He has enjoyed a fine run of success ever since and is well on target to better last season’s tally.

This is the 32nd consecutive year that an Irish team has been invited to Australia to participate in the jockey challenge. There have already been 42 contests staged in the two countries, with Ireland taking the honours on 26 occasions, Australia winning 15 times and one draw. 

The series, which is based on a points system depending on the finishing positions, was won by Team Ireland last year on a score of 55 points to 35.