New racing club created to help raise funds for injured Grand National and Ascot Gold Cup-winning jockey Graham Lee

Organised by The Good Racing Co (GRC), the aim is to raise funds for Bedale-based Irishman Lee who suffered life-changing injuries in a terrible accident when he became unseated in the stalls at Newcastle last November.

He suffered an unstable cervical fracture causing damage to his spinal cord which ended his highly successful career in both codes and left him in a wheelchair.

The Graham Lee Racing Club will give annual membership for just £17, in a nod to the new X (formerly Twitter) G.Lee17 account launched by Graham’s family following the accident.

Members of the racing club will get to follow the career of two-year-old unraced filly chosen specifically for Lee by former Champion Jockey and Yorkshire Post columnist, Paul Hanagan, who is the GRC’s Director of Racing.

The horse has been named ‘We’ve Got This’ by Lee’s wife, Becky, who posted this message of determination on social media shortly after the accident and it is hoped We’ve Got This will race for the first time in May.

Lee said: “I’m really humbled that a fundraising racing club has been set up in my honour, and that Paul Hanagan has chosen the horse for me.

“I’ve been shown videos of the horse and she looks very promising. No pressure Paul, but I hope you’ve picked a winner!”

The GRC was set up in October 2020 following Leeds Rhinos and Great Britain star Rob Burrow’s Motor Neurone Disease diagnosis. Its aim was to tap into the passion of the racing community to raise money for an athlete facing life changing news. To date it has raised over £185,000 for MND causes and currently has 13 horses in training with four winners and six places so far in 2024.

Lee continued: “I’ve seen what The GRC has achieved for Rob and how it’s united the racing community.

“I have high hopes that this new racing club achieves the same success with We’ve Got This, and my family and I look forward to following the excitement and being part of this new community.”

Hanagan, who retired from race riding last year, said: “Graham and I were weighing room colleagues for over 12 years. I feel blessed to count him as a good friend. He’s a true gent who has time for everyone. The Graham Lee Racing Club is a chance for everyone to help Graham and his wonderful family.

“It was an honour to select the horse for Graham. We’ve Got This caught my eye quite early on, she’s a beautiful looking filly with a wonderful temperament. It has been fantastic to watch her flourish everyday mentally and physically. Her attitude and ability looks very good even at this early stage and I am very excited to see her on the track.”

The Graham Lee Racing Club is being supported by a host of high-profile GRC ambassadors, including Lee’s close friend, jockey-turned-broadcaster, Niall Hannity and ITV racing’s, Adele Mulrennan.

To enable all of the money raised to go directly to Lee, the GRC secured generous partnerships with businesses and suppliers.

Alfa Site Services have donated We’ve Got This for free, while Easingwold trainer Craig Lidster, Minster Vets and Spiller’s Feeds will be providing all training, veterinary support and feed for free.

Phil Hawthorne, founder of the GRC, saids: “Tragedies like Graham’s accident are one of the reasons we set up the company. We want to be able to tap into the racing community’s desire to help by offering them something that’s beyond a one-off charitable donation.

“Through our fundraising I hope we can make the lives of the Lee family easier as they work towards bringing Graham home. Together, we’ve got this!”

Annual memberships to The Graham Lee Racing Club can be purchased from the website thegoodracing.co.