King Island Racing had its 2024 season final hurrah last week, when King Island Racing Club president Audrey Hamer presented cheques to the value of $41,000 to some deserving King Island organisations.
The proceeds came from the Henry Dwyer Miners Rest Cup Syndicate charity fundraising, The Miners Rest Cup ‘crew’ became involved in King Island Racing when the 2022 -2023 King Island Racing season was in jeopardy and looked like it would be cancelled, due to lack of trainers and horses.
That was until Ms Hamer, put a call out on social media to the racing industry to help.
Trainer Henry Dwyer, who in the previous season sent a horse to participate and be locally trained by Jimmy Taylor, organised other mainland trainers to come on board and, as a syndicate, purchased unknown, unproven horses and transported them to King Island to be locally trained so the season could proceed.
The horses were individually sponsored by mainland businesses. The syndicate – with a lot of humour, fun and social media savvy – promoted King Island racing, the horses, and the Miners RestCup tour event.
They donated the winnings, including the Miners Rest Cup winner’s purse, when the six imported horses went head-to-head on Maritime Day.
The syndicate returned for the 2023 -2024 season and once again donated the proceeds. This time round, King Island sporting clubs were the beneficiaries of the racing prizes and charity fundraising events.
The cheques were handed over on Thursday night: King Island Racing Club, $5000; Currie FC, $8500; King Island Boat Club, $6000; North FC, $6000; Imperial 20, $4000; King Island Football Association, $3000 and; Grassy FC $3500.
Camperdown Turf Club also received $5000 from the MRC Crew. TasRacing chief operating officer Dave Manshanden attended and chaired the race club meeting on Thursday to discuss the upcoming season.
Off-island trainers interested in participating in the upcoming season are asked to contact Race Club president Audrey Hamer as soon as possible.