774 wins by record-breaking Pink Pants brigade

A sensational 774 winning harness racing drives posted by the “pink pants brigade” set the scene for a record-breaking fundraising effort in the 2024 Pacing for Pink initiative during May.

The national campaign spread its wings to the ACT for the first time this year, and with unprecedented support from sponsors, along with clubs, community groups and individuals, the final tally has already surpassed last year’s record of $126,000 – and is well toward meeting the Pacing for Pink goal of $150,000.

“This is really amazing as there’s tough times with the economic situation. Businesses are doing it hard but they still find a way to support us, which is wonderful,” coordinator Marg Watson said.

The initiative, now in its 13^th year, raises funds for the McGrath Foundation to support more Breast Care Nurses and research into the disease.

“It got off the ground in Cobram back in 2011 and it was just a dinner at the club. Money raised from that and funds from the gate entries on the day went to the McGrath Foundation – that was it!” Watson said.

“To look at this year’s tally and the number of people involved across Australia, it’s absolutely amazing,”

As momentum grew and more and more people wanted to get involved, what had become “Pink Day” outgrew the capacity of the small Cobram Club and was moved to a new home base at Shepparton Harness Racing Club – and has continued to grow.

One in seven women are diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime, including around 1000 young women each year.  For men, the rate of breast cancer is around one in 500.

“It’s a cause that’s close to everyone’s heart, but part of it has been about getting more awareness out there too,” Watson said.

“In recent years it’s been wonderful to see more of the young men in our driving ranks wanting to be involved,” she said.

The battle for supremacy between the sponsored “pink” drivers saw Queensland ace reinsman Peter McMullen again come out on top. He finished with 35 winning drives in May – just enough to hold off Victoria’s ‘young gun’ James Herbertson by one win.

“Peter took the honors and made Queensland harness racing very proud – he’s posted the most wins in pink pants each year, with the exception of one, when his cousin Nathan Dawson took the honors!” Watson said.

“James had an amazing final week with five wins – and Mother Nature may have robbed him in the end because he had drives at the last three races at Shepparton at the final meeting, but they were abandoned because of the inclement weather.”

Watson said the efforts during the campaign by Sunraysia horsewoman Kate Attard and her team of helpers including Shanna Finnis and Kate’s daughter Charli Masotti, was “nothing short of magnificent”.

“They rang and asked me what they could do, and I said ‘what about a raffle?’. We’d love it if every club could run a raffle,” Watson said.

“But that wasn’t enough for them.  They came up with the concept of getting sponsors for the pink number eight saddlecloths for every race and within 48 hours they’d ‘sold’ all of those for the four meetings in May.

“Then they ran a silent auction and a drivers’ footrace which was a great talking point, and we were completely blown away when they told us they’d raised $28,000.

“Especially considering it was the first year they’d been involved, they did a remarkable job. And a big shoutout also to the many generous people in the Mildura community – you are all nothing short of amazing.”

Former AFL star Anthony (Tippa) McDonald-Tipungwuti got behind the successful Mildura fundraiser. The former Essendon livewire, who played 133 AFL games from 2016-2023, is this season playing with the Imperials Football Club in the Sunraysia Football League.

Attard said Tipungwuti donated not one, but three of his Bombers football guernseys for the auction, raising a total of $1624.

“You could have heard a pin drop when Tippa spoke at the dinner about his journey and how breast cancer had also touched his family,” Attard said.

“He had never been to the trots before, but he had a great time. I don’t know if he would be interested in racing a horse, but the industry could have a new owner one day!

“Doing what we did during the month was hard work, but it was heaps of fun – and so rewarding that we got to make such a great contribution as a community.”

by Terry Gange, for Harnesslink