Attention turned from the track to the pop-up of pink captivation on Sunday, with Shepparton Harness Racing Club hosting its annual Pacing for Pink event.
Underneath the sea of pink attire, painted faces and entertainment galore lay a worthy cause that race manager Ian McDonald said drew the crowd.
“The emphasis is on creating awareness and raising funds for breast cancer nurses, it’s certainly a worthy cause,” he said.
“Every year the event gets bigger and gains more momentum ... it was a very good crowd this year despite the cold weather, about 1100.”
Special guests from the McGrath Foundation upped the ante of awareness, and Mr McDonald said it was fantastic to see everybody getting into the spirit of the day and dressed in pink.
Pacing for Pink does not stop at one race meeting though.
All around Australia for the month of May, drivers will go the extra mile for the cause with reinsmen and reinswomen sponsored to wear pink pants, featuring their names and those of their sponsors.
Mr McDonald said Victoria alone had 230 drivers donning the pink pants this year, each worth $200 in sponsorship.
“All of the money is linked throughout all states,” he said.
“Last year’s Pacing for Pink raised a total of $160,000 for the McGrath Foundation, hopefully we get to that figure again.”