A Nottinghamshire event rider is the latest big name from the equestrian world to sign up for an all-star charity race at Nottingham Racecourse next Wednesday (28th October).

George Bartlett, an international event rider from Newark, will ride in the Heroes Gallop in support of Autism in Racing, which works to make the sport accessible to everyone.

Nine riders in total are due to take part, including the 2025 Grand National winner Patrick Mullins and former jockey Leonna Mayor, who now works as a presenter and pundit on ITV Racing.

Bartlett is an international event rider for Retford-based Caunton Stud, one of the leading equestrian facilities in the UK.

The 25-year-old has been booked to ride the Jennie Candlish-trained Spirit Genie in the mile and a quarter contest, and he revealed that he can’t wait to get going.

He said: “William and Jane Buick are ambassadors for the charity and are good friends with my boss. They reached out asking if I’d be up for taking part in the race and I was very keen to get involved.

“I’m riding a horse for Jennie Candlish, so I went over to her yard last week, which was quite good fun. Spirit Genie knows the job more than I do, so I’m sure he’ll look after me.

“I have never dabbled in racing or race riding, I watched it a bit as a kid as my dad was very keen on his racing, but I grew too tall for that job!

“I’ll be nervous because I want to win! The owners of the horse (Ros and John Marriott) are quite keen on being quite competitive. It’s a relatively short race so I’m just going to go for it.

“I didn’t realise a Grand National winner was being thrown into the mix, but we’ll give it a whirl! It’ll be a good craic and I’m looking forward to it.

“It’s for a good cause so that’s the main thing. It’s such a cool sport and if it can be opened up to more people, that can only be a good thing. Animals and particularly horses can be such calming creatures, so it’s a cause that’s very much worth getting behind.”

To support George in Wednesday’s contest, please go to https://www.gofundme.com/f/george-bartletts-autism-in-racing-fundraising-race

George in action at Royal Jump in France

Autism in Racing is a nationwide charity that delivers autism-friendly racedays, mentoring opportunities, community activities and resources that help more people engage with and enjoy the sport.

Bobby Beevers, who founded the charity, said: “I’m thrilled that George has agreed to swap saddles and take on a racing event in support of us.

“He’s slightly less experienced on the racing front than one or two of the other names in the field, but he’s been a delight to work with and he looks as though he’s secured himself a lovely ride!

“We are raising as much money as we can to continue to make the sport as inclusive and as welcoming as we can and ultimately help as many autistic individuals as we can to be able to enjoy the sport.

“Autism in Racing is incredibly reliant on funding. The bottom line is, without the funding there is no charity, so a big fundraising event like this is critical and I can’t thank everybody enough for their support in getting this event over the line.”

ENDS