Christmas present appeal organiser from Henfield ‘overwhelmed’ after generous horseracing fans donate 500 toys

The idea for the appeal originated two years ago from a winning bet struck at Cheltenham.

Organiser CJ Cooper, from Henfield, said she is overwhelmed by the volume of gifts racegoers have sent to her house for those at the Chestnut Tree House children’s hospice in Arundel and the Royal Alexandra Children’s Hospital in Brighton.

CJ also helped raise £4,047 through an online auction of racing memorabilia to spend on more toys.

CJ first set up the appeal after spending £3,000 from the winnings off a Lucky 15 she struck at the 2021 November Meeting. But she said she only decided to go ahead with it again this year after a close friend died.

CJ said: “I wasn’t planning on doing the appeal this year as I received a lot of negative comments on social media from some people when all this appeal is about is trying to help children.”

But she explained that her friend would have told her not to take notice of online trolls because ‘he was always so positive’.

In photos – huge Christmas party for kids in Haywards Heath

CJ said: “I posted a message up on X (formerly Twitter) saying I was planning to do the Christmas wish list appeal again and gifts then started arriving from both the hospital and hospice’s wish lists from horseracing fans. I’ve been sent more gifts than I expected as I thought with the cost of living going up I didn’t think people would have the spare cash, but luckily I’ve been proved wrong.”

Not only has the ardent Chelsea FC supporter, and fan of leading Flat jockey Jim Crowley, received plenty of support from horseracing fans, but she was also given the backing by some of the biggest organisations within the sport for her online auction.

Included in the lots that were up for grabs was a print of City Of Troy signed by Aidan O’Brien, a print of Hukum signed by Jim Crowley and two baseball caps, and a set of riding breeches signed by Oisin Murphy and tickets to next month’s Festival Trials Day at Cheltenham donated by The Jockey Club.

Money from the auction has since been spent on a PlayStation 5 for the hospice with the remainder of the cash set to be split on purchasing the remaining items required on both wish lists before the gifts are distributed across December 20 and 21.

CJ said: “I’ve had so many wonderful racing packages donated by the likes of Coolmore, Godolphin, Shadwell, Juddmonte, Cheveley Park and The National Stud to name a few. We had a print of Constitution Hill make £205 and four tickets for any day of the Craven Meeting, with lunch, donated by Al Basti Equiworld, finished as the top lot at £400.

“We beat last year’s total by £47, but I said if we got the £479 we needed from the auction to buy the PlayStation 5 then I would have been happy with that.

“I think what this has shown is what great people are involved in racing and how the sport can come together as one in getting behind such a worthwhile event to help those that are less fortunate.”