Jump aboard the Pancare push

The aptly-named filly Alifetimeforliving (Soho Tribeca) is just two starts into her harness racing career, but she’s already living her destiny – to raise awareness and funds for the cancer support organisation, Pancare.

Alifetimeforliving, out of Oneminutetodream, races in the eye-catching Pancare race colors, designed by her part-owner Grant Campbell and his wife and trainer Kerryn Manning.

She is showing all the right signs with two placings from her first two outings.

The plan to raise funds and awareness of gastrointestinal cancers was initiated by Llowalong Farms studmaster Dr Kath McIntosh after her dad passed away from liver cancer two years ago.

“Kath donated a filly to be sold at the Nutrien Equine Sydney sales and another breeder Greg Fleming donated this filly for the Melbourne sales, with all proceeds to be donated to Pancare,” Campbell said.

“Kath decided to push the fundraising and awareness idea further by buying the filly in Melbourne and syndicating her,” he said.

Pancare is the leading organisation inspiring hope, raising awareness, supporting families and funding research for upper gastrointestinal (GI) cancers.

Campbell and Manning agreed to train the filly at Allbenz Park and help find people to join the syndicate.

“What eventuated was a syndicate including a wide range of people from all over Australia,” Campbell said.

“One of the syndicate owners Shay Keating didn’t know the background when she agreed to come on board but had dealt with the loss of her mum earlier this year to pancreatic cancer.

“It was quite emotional for her when she realised the connection to Pancare and so racing Alifetimeforliving is pretty special to her now.”

Campbell said a large number of people and organisations had donated their time and money to keep the cost down during Alifetimeforliving’s preparation.

“Mark Barton from Nutrien waived the sales nomination and took no commission on the sale, the farrier Joe Bibby donated his services, Equilink transported her to the sales free of charge, and Desiree Pettit-Keating from Southcombe FH photography did the sales photos free of charge,” Campbell said.

“Campbell’s Comments did her sales videos free of charge and Mick Blackmore broke her in and did a great job.  And of course, the Llowalong Farms staff did a fantastic job preparing her for the sale and caring for her before she came to us.”

Campbell said the filly, known around the stables as Alice, had always shown nice potential.

“She’s always been a really, really lovely filly to do anything with – but early days we didn’t know if she was any good ability wise.  She did everything right and was very genuine, but she didn’t show a lot of speed, to be honest,” he said.

“But then when we took her to the trials, she ran her quarters under 30 and Kez said she felt really quite nice and did it quite easily.

“Her two race starts have been pretty good. She’s still learning, and she finished close behind some very nice horses at both of her runs.

“We’ve tucked her away now for a quiet couple of weeks, then hopefully we’ll aim her at the VicBred heats because we’d like to showcase her on the biggest stage we can – to do the best we can for raising awareness.”

Donations to Pancare can be made at this link.

by Terry Gange, for Harnesslink