The Easter bunny comes early

Donna Castles and her Pacing for Pink “sisters” (and “brothers”) are off to a flying start in a bid to reach a record $100,000 fundraising goal in what is now a national harness racing campaign to support the McGrath Foundation.

Although Pacing for Pink officially gets underway next month, the Easter Bunny came early for longtime harness racing owner Pam McDonald when the Pacing For Pink Easter raffle was drawn at the Shepparton club’s recent meeting and kicked the first $400 into the campaign tin.

Donna, a breast cancer survivor herself, is a dynamo for the Pacing for Pink campaign, alongside Marg Watson, who has been involved since it began 11 years ago.

“We’ve had an awesome response from every harness racing state in the country to the Pacing for Pink’s pink pants campaign that will be happening for all of May,” Castles said.

“We have 180 drivers in every state across the length and breadth of Australia who have been generously sponsored by some amazing people in support of raising awareness about breast cancer, as well as raising valuable funds for the work of the McGrath Foundation nurses,” she said.

NSW will have 43 drivers in pink during May, WA will have 26, Tasmania 15, Queensland 14 and SA will have 10.

“These are all new drivers participating, and here in Victoria we are absolutely thrilled that we will have the most drivers ever in pink – 72 this year, male and female drivers.  And as well, there are four Clerks of Course who have been sponsored.”

Pacing for Pink began as a fundraising lunch at a country harness racing club meeting at Cobram 11 years ago and this year has secured for the first time the McGrath Foundation figurehead Glenn McGrath for its icon event, the Mother’s Day race meeting at Shepparton on May 8.

Pacing for Pink was started as a measure to “bring the industry together” and demonstrate the good in the sport.

But the idea gained a momentum and energy of its own – driven by the hard work of some dedicated harness racing identities – and this year for the first time, every Australian State is on board.

“We’ve had a huge response industry-wide, but we’ve also had a lot of individual people thinking about what they can do to help,” Castles said.

“We put out a call for prizes for the major raffle at the Mother’s Day at Shepparton, and breeder Lorraine Barnes jumped in donating a Marie Claire wine and cheese set with a bottle of red!  We’ve got some awesome silent auction items donated – a cricket bat signed by Glenn McGrath; a Ross Patterson painting of a Shepparton meeting; Michelle Godden’s painting of Gavin Lang; an Onga pump; a framed Stars shirt from Cricket Victoria; and a fire pit and a redgum bar. Everyone seems to be thinking about what they can do and the raffle donations have been streaming in.

“It’s going to be a fabulous day – I’m hoping everyone in the harness racing family will put the Mother’s Day meeting in their diary and come along, as a special celebration, or even just find a way to support Pacing for Pink across Australia during May.

“Harness racing tracks will be a sea of pink right through the month, and we can’t wait!”

by Terry Gange, for Harnesslink