Ararat’s winning post looking pretty in pink

A pink winning post will serve as an unmistakable show of support as the Ararat Harness Racing Club once again gets behind the McGrath Foundation this Sunday (May 20).

The club, largely through the drive of tireless worker Sharon Ralph, has been a major contributor to the harness racing industry’s Pacing for Pink campaign – and this year is no different.

Ralph said local trainer Ross Fiscalini came up with the idea of painting the winning post pink and thought it could become a permanent fixture at the Russell T White Raceway circuit.

“Once we got all the approvals done then Ross got up there and did it. I think it looks really effective,” Ralph said.

“I’m unsure about this yet, but I think it could be a thing that’s going to stay so it’s (breast cancer) a talking point. It would be nice to have it that way. We need to be talking about it all the time.”

Ralph has been busy organising the club’s third Pacing for Pink meeting, and while she’s unsure if the cost of living pressures will prevent bettering last year’s fundraising total, she’s hopeful of a good turnout and great evening.

“We raised a bit over $14,000 the first year and last year was about $17,400, so I’ll have high hopes of trying to break that, but times are tough,” she said.

“If I could get around the $15,000 mark in a hard year, I’d be really stoked.”

Nine races have been locked in for Sunday’s meeting, with the first to go at 5.07pm and the last at 9.17pm.

The pony trots will be in full swing and there’ll be stacks to do off the track, too. Silent auctions, raffles, draws and a cake stall will be part of the fun, while connections of the meeting’s nine winning horses will receive a $200 gift card.

The local Chalambar Golf Club is also getting behind the cause with an event scheduled this Saturday.

Ararat’s big meting follows hot on the heels of another successful afternoon at Shepparton where the club raised in excess of $22,000 on May 7.

May is Pacing For Pink month throughout Australia, a movement that started in Cobram in 2011, went state-wide in 2021 and this year has expanded to include more than 200 sponsored drivers around the country.

Money raised is in support of the McGrath Breast Care Nurses, who are registered nurses specially trained to manage the care of people with breast cancer throughout their treatment.

For complete race entries, click here.

by Tim O’Connor, for Harness Racing Victoria