Horseracing's AP McCoy and Clare Balding rise to the challenge

The pair will be taking part in the Nine Lives Challenge

TV broadcaster Clare Balding and 20-time Champion Jockey AP McCoy will take to the road in aid of the Injured Jockeys Fund.

The pair, along with a host of other stars from the world of horseracing, will be taking part in the Nine Lives Challenge, which aims to cover 560 miles in nine days to raise funds for the IJF.

The challenge is the brainchild of IJF beneficiary and former jockey Wayne Burton.

And IJF president Sir Anthony McCoy said: “This is a brilliant idea of Wayne’s and to cover 560 miles in total in lots of different ways is a real challenge for the beneficiaries.

“I hope people donate as this will inspire them to keep going and I shall be cheering them on every day and be getting out there too to help them achieve their mileage target.”

Mr Burton and eight other beneficiaries will ‘set off’ on July 24 – each taking up to nine days to complete their part of the 560-mile virtual route before finishing on Saturday, August 1.

Each is paired with an IJF representative, the charity’s president, patrons and trustees, who will match the number of miles of their beneficiary to help them achieve the total and to give them the encouragement to undertake their own personal challenge.

The other celebrities taking part are jockey Frankie Dettori, TV broadcasters Ed Chamberlin and Brough Scott, former jockeys John Francome, Peter Scudamore and Jack Berry, and Lady Oaksey.

All will either run, walk, cycle, swim or push a wheelchair.

Mr Burton said: “I sustained a life-changing injury in 2008, breaking my back in a hurdle race at Exeter racecourse.

“I have no idea where I would be right now without the support from the IJF.

“I came up with an idea to give other beneficiaries a challenge while the world is very upside down right now.

“Myself and eight other beneficiaries will be challenging ourselves to train to do as many miles as we possibly can to complete the mileage it would take to travel from Oaksey House in Lambourn to Peter O’Sullevan House (Newmarket) to Jack Berry House (Malton, Yorkshire) back to Oaksey House, which is 560 miles.

“We will be doing this challenge in different forms – walking, pushing a wheelchair, cycling, running, swimming.”

The action can be followed via IJF social media and daily video blogs.

The aim is to raise as much money as possible for the IJF at a time when funds are much needed.

To donate and for further details of each of the nine beneficiaries visit https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/ wayne-burton3