Sir Peter’s Trust auction raises £165,000 for good causes

The annual Sir Peter O’Sullevan Charitable Trust auction lunch, held last week at the Dorchester Hotel in London, has raised a ‘best ever’ total of £165,000 across eight lots. 

This year the lunch, established in 1999, honoured John Francome – the 27th winner of the Sir Peter O’Sullevan Award – who was presented with a cheque for £10,000 on behalf of the Injured Jockeys Fund (IJF) and who also featured in the one of the most popular lots of the evening: a chance to have lunch with him and Sir Mark Prescott at the Michelin-starred Murano restaurant, which sparked a bidding war that ended with a bid of £53,000. 

Trustee Nigel Payne told the Racing Post: “The 27th lunch was unquestionably one of our best ever and we’re always so mindful that our prime objective it to acknowledge Sir Peter’s passion for the welfare of animals. 

“The amazing amount raised will be distributed to great effect and we’re so grateful to the generosity of the guests.”

 Over the past 26 years, the Sir Peter O’Sullevan Charitable Trust has distributed more than £5 million to the six charities it supports, including World Horse Welfare and Racing Welfare, and it has also pledged more than £10 million to other charitable causes, including Racing to School.