Saddling up to share more success, Canberra Community Chest returns

It’s a charity event like no other with $50,000 on offer for good causes across the ACT again this year, thanks to the Canberra Racing Club.

Twelve local charities and community groups will be in the running to win a part of the Canberra Community Chest.

To be held on 24 November, the Canberra Community Chest will be run as a Quality Open Handicap over 1400 m. The race is worth $250,000, with a $200,000 prize-money pool plus the $50,000 to be shared between the 12 charity and community partners, all with a meaningful connection to the Canberra region.

Winner of the inaugural event in 2023, Rise Above Capital Region Cancer Care, has welcomed the news of the return, with CEO Wayne Simpson saying he is excited to see what will come from the event this year.

“The Canberra Community Chest brings together some great charities and groups to celebrate all that we do,” Wayne says.

“None of the groups could meet their mission without the support of the community, and teaming up with Thoroughbred Park and these magnificent equine superheroes just makes sense.

“Whilst we all get to compete for valuable prize money, we mingle with like-minded people and our deeds are championed to the community.”

Rise Above drew the aptly named Super Helpful and won the inaugural Canberra Community Chest.

Rise Above received the winning prize of $25,000, which has assisted its important work.

Wayne says the contribution has helped with the growing number of cancer patients Rise Above supports, including 10 individuals and families.

“This contribution is the equivalent to 125 food vouchers, or covered 80 bill payments, or covering the initial fertility preservation costs for 50 patients,” he says.

“Indirectly, the money took a bit of pressure off our fabulous volunteers, who back up month in, month out to raise funds for those in need. It was the equivalent of the profit from cooking and selling 12,500 sausage sandwiches or, looking at it another way, it put 250-300 hours back into our volunteers’ lives.”

Wayne says his and his team’s success of last year won’t stop them from entering again in 2024.

“The support of Thoroughbred Park was fantastic, they have proven the event should exist in the community calendar, and it will only grow from the inaugural event,” he says.

“If selected this year, we intend to involve the patients we support and volunteers to a greater extent on the day because it is the perfect event to connect with others and to profile the charity. For the patients, it can provide a bit of normality.

“On top of that, it is an exciting event and a fun day.”

An independent selection panel will choose 10 partners, with Pegasus Riding for the Disabled getting an automatic nod after its horse was scratched from the race in 2023.

All remaining eligible partners then enter a People’s Choice Award to determine the final beneficiary.

Each charity partner will be invited to a black-tie event before the Canberra Community Chest where a representative will draw the equine hero racing for it.

Canberra Racing Club chief executive Darren Pearce says his organisation is proud of last year’s success.

“To connect with these wonderful community organisations was a real highlight and to see how much our chest donation meant to their efforts to help our community was enormously satisfying,” Darren says.

“We are dedicated to being a force for good within the Canberra community and this is a great opportunity to give back through a top-quality race day and event showcasing the best of regional produce and hospitality.”

Affinity Electrical Technologies will be supporting the race again under the name Single Gaze ahead of the launch.

Affinity Electrical Technologies has been a sponsor of the racing club for more than 10 years and has a rich history of supporting the Canberra community.