Harry Coffey will ride Forsixtyfiveroses in the Cystic Fibrosis Victoria silks on Friday night.
Sometimes racing is about much more than the sheer result and a collect on the punt and the IGA Supermarkets Handicap (1200m) on Friday night will carry some heavy pressure for two runners - but not for the usual reasons we associate with owning a runner.
Cystic Fibrosis Victoria and Huntington’s Victoria charities will both be watching on closely as their ‘pin-up’ horses Forsixtyfiveroses and She’s Beneficial take their place in Race 6 tonight. Both horses are four-year-old mares, moderately bred and trained in the surrounds of rural Victoria and they won’t stand out when pouring over the form tonight – but you should be cheering for them.
22-year-old Harry Coffey has made a name for himself in the riding ranks and since riding his first winner in 2011 has ridden 350 winners and won over $9.3 million in stakes earnings for owners. Tonight, Harry has the chance to earn some prizemoney for a cause close to his heart. Harry has not only made a mark as a jockey, but as an ambassador for Cystic Fibrosis – a disease he fights daily while juggling the demands of being a jockey.
As for the name? 65 Roses is a fundraising campaign which seeks to raise awareness and funds to extend and improve the quality of life for people with the condition. Coffey will don a pair of silks which has 65 roses printed on them and 10% of her prizemoney is donated Cystic Fibrosis Victoria each and every start through the Country Racing Victoria Hospital Helping Hand Campaign – thus far that has totalled to $2,310. If she was to win tonight it would be more the doubled.
Forxityfiveroses is trained at Swan Hill, 337 kilometres north of Melbourne, and while she has raced everywhere from Avoca to Wycheproof in her seven starts to date, she will be looking for a hat-trick of wins as she heads for her maiden voyage to the big smoke.
Her ‘rival’ in the charity stakes will travel from Bendigo and unlike her counterpart, has made the trip to The Valley twice before. She’s Beneficial is also looking to extend a winning sequence after a winning performance at Ballarat on November 28. The bond one can have with their horse has no bounds and extends much further than the racetrack and for the last five months this mare has given the Philpot family the drive to keep going. On June 27, trainer Gus Philpot tragically lost his wife Donna in a trackwork accident. She’s Beneficial was Donna’s favourite horse and as such was kept as part of Gus’ small team of horses, with his late wife remaining in the ownership.
Such is the heart of the Philpot family, She’s Beneficial is not only keeping Donna’s legacy going but raising awareness for Huntington’s Victoria. A family friend, 23-year-old ex-jockey Zach Scullie, was diagnosed with the disease in June. There currently is no cure and it is hoped that with She’s Beneficial wearing the Huntington’s Victoria logo on her colours that her racing will help raise awareness for the disease.
Whatever the result, congratulations to both Harry and Zach for being great ambassadors for their respective charities and the racing industry for rallying behind them. Good luck.