Melbourne Racing Club pledges gate proceeds towards bushfire disaster relief

The Melbourne Racing Club (MRC) will use its two meetings over the Australia Day weekend to support the country's bushfire-ravaged communities.

At Caulfield on Saturday, MRC chairman Peter Le Grand announced that all gate proceeds from the race meetings at Mornington on January 24 and Caulfield on January 25 will be donated to the Bendigo Bank Community Fund.

Fire service personnel and their families will be given free entry to both racedays.

Le Grand said the Club had decided that all donations made to the MRC Foundation during January will also be forwarded to the Fund, which is coordinating the bushfire disaster appeal.

"We're all devastated by what has happened and we're thinking of the people that have been impacted," he said.

"At the Melbourne Racing Club, we've immediately made a donation to the Community Fund.

"And every donation made to the Melbourne Racing Club Foundation for the month of January will go towards the Fund."

The commitment by the MRC follows a similar pledge by Racing Victoria chairman Brian Kruger on Friday.

Australian prime minister Scott Morrison has announced 3,000 reserve troops will be deployed to help tackle the bushfires.

Temperatures exceeded 40C in parts of south-east Australia on Saturday. Since September, the fires in Australia have killed at least 23 people. Dozens of people are missing and 1,500 homes have been lost.

Jockey urges punters to donate

Jockey Jamie Kah has urged punters to donate towards helping with relief efforts in the bushfire crisis.

Kah pledged to donate double her riding fee and any prize-money earned from her three rides at Caulfield on Saturday.

The South Australian jockey finished fourth aboard Zoushack, Licko’paint and Ocean’s Fourteen, ensuring her donation would amount to approximately A$3,200 (£1,700/€1,994).

Jamie Kah: donated riding fees and prize-money from Caulfield ridesCredit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

The 24-year-old suggested donating to the Wildlife Information, Rescue and Education Service, an Australian organisation that is aiding the animals caught up in the bushfires.

"Everybody knows the tragedy going on at the moment and so many different organisations need help," Kah said.

"The whole country is in flames at the moment, every cent counts. Just donate what you can."

In the immediate aftermath of his victory aboard Mrs Beckham in the Margaret Hogan Handicap at Caulfield, Chris Symons paid tribute to the firefighters.

"It's pretty tragic what's going on at the moment," Symons said.

"I just want to give a shout out to everyone battling the fires today. We know we're in for a horrendous day.

"It makes me proud to be an Aussie because there are so many generous people out there giving donations and supplies.

"Being a part of the wildlife industry, it's devastating because we've lost human lives but also half a billion wildlife have died out there."

Island refuge for local livestock

The Kangaroo Island Racing Club has thrown open its doors to protect animals in the district threatened by fire.

Over 500 firefighters are fighting the Kangaroo Island blaze, which claimed the lives of two people in a vehicle on the highway outside Parndana.

Kangaroo Island Racing Club secretary Greg Miller said the racetrack and stables are safe from the fires and are available for those requiring refuge for their livestock.

Kangaroo Island hosts three race meetings each year, held during January and February. The first of those fixtures is on Saturday, January 25 followed by their two-day Cup carnival on February 20 and February 22.

The club historically uses its feature race meetings to support local charities and it is expected this year’s meetings will aid the bushfire disaster appeal.

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