One last push for Blue September

With one week left, Harness Racing New Zealand's Blue September campaign has almost surpassed last year's total.

So far the New Zealand Prostate Cancer Foundation fund-raiser has accrued $31,156.

Money is raised every time one of the 12 Blue September ambassadors wins a race during the month, with contributions coming from HRNZ ($100 per win), clubs and the drivers' individual sponsors.

The country's top driver Blair Orange is leading the way. He has 19 wins in September and has raised $6650 with Matty Williamson second on seven wins and $4200. There have also been a number of sizeable donations from the public keen to support the cause.

Sunday also saw the second annual running of the Blue Bolt where ambassadors battle it out over 100 metres on foot. The dash down the Motukarara straight was won by visiting northern driver Zev Meredith.

There will be five more Blue September meetings with Cambridge (Tuesday), Gore (Thursday), Addington and Auckland (Friday) and Timaru (Sunday) while a novelty cross code fund-raiser will finish on Monday, September 31.

What's on offer is a 10 per cent share in a greyhound. To enter you have to pay $10 and submit a race name for the dog. All proceeds will go the Prostate Cancer Foundation.

The winner will get 10 per cent of all stakes money the greyhound earns for finishing first, second or third.

The greyhound, to be trained by Dan Roberts, is currently seven months old. Its breeding is Ophelia Allen - Good Odds Harada.

To enter via the link (below), put the dog name, and your email in the “Message for Fundraising page (optional)” section.

https://www.gofundraise.co.nz/payments/donate/beneficiary/1863765

In 2023 the Blue September campaign raised $33,000 with hopes that late push will see it climb towards $40,000  this year.

To find out more about Blue September click here

https://www.hrnz.co.nz/blueseptember/