Ennis returns to Irish roots and saddle for Pat Smullen Charity Race

Pat Smullen’s legacy will once again bring a group of unlikely jockeys together this Saturday at Ireland’s Curragh Racecourse, including one rider with an American connection: trainer John Ennis.

Ennis will compete in the 2026 Pat Smullen Charity Race, an event that honors nine-time Irish champion jockey Smullen while raising money for Cancer Trials Ireland. 

Smullen won the 2016 Epsom Derby aboard Harzand, and his resume also includes two wins in both the Irish Derby and Irish 1,000 Guineas and one in the Irish Oaks. In 2018, at age 41, he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. The following year, he organized the Pat Smullen Charity Race for Cancer Trials Ireland, the country’s leading cancer research organization.

The inaugural race featured nine retired Irish champion jockeys. Smullen intended to ride himself, but his cancer treatment prevented him from participating. The event raised almost €3 million. Smullen passed away in 2020, leaving behind his wife, Frances, and their three children, Hannah, Paddy, and Sarah.

The Pat Smullen Raceday continues in his memory, with Frances as a leading advocate. Funds raised have helped make new treatments available to patients in Ireland. Today, many of the riders who participate have never ridden in a professional race, but it has become one of the Curragh’s most beloved events each year.

Ennis graduated from Ireland’s racing academy at age 15. Shortly after, he moved to the United States and worked as an exercise rider for trainer Charles LoPresti, assisting with future Horse of the Year Wise Dan during the gelding’s early years in competition. More than a decade ago, he moved into owning and training horses. In 2024, he saddled Epic Ride in the Kentucky Derby. This year, he took Great White to the Run for the Roses, but the enormous gray reared and fell in the starting gate before the race, prompting a late scratch.

Ennis never met Smullen, but he has always admired how he handled himself both in and out of the saddle. Ennis rides in memory of his cousin who died of pancreatic cancer last year. His original fundraising goal was €5,000, but he has exceeded that goal by more than 300%. He’s currently one of the field’s top fundraisers.

“We are delighted that John is participating in The Pat Smullen Charity Race this year,” Frances said. “The support he has received from the racing community in the U.S. is phenomenal, and I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for their amazing generosity. The racing community shows their love for our beloved Pat every year through their fantastic support for this event, and John has proven that the racing community in the U.S. is no different.” 

Among Ennis’ 18 competitors in the 12-furlong contest is Alister Weld, who will make his debut in the saddle. He is the grandson of trainer Dermot Weld, who teamed with Smullen for many victories. Nina Carberry is a former champion amateur jockey who rode more than 400 winners before retiring in 2018. Tara Hayes is an international dressage rider, while Tadhg McGuinness is an assistant trainer of his father, Ado.

The day also features the Curragh to Curragh Charity Cycle, which begins and ends at the racecourse and also raises funds for Cancer Trials Ireland.

Support Ennis’s fundraising efforts for pancreatic cancer trials here. The charity race is the final contest on Saturday’s eight-race card.