1^st place – Cerebral Palsy Education Centre – $1,000
2^nd place – Alkira Centre- $500
3^rd place – Bridge Inc – Getaway- $400
Last Place – The Bridge Inc – Stawell Street

Monday 2^nd September 2019

Winners were picked and laughs were plenty at the 2019 Cranbourne Greyhound Racing Club ‘Great Chase’ event this week.  Five community groups brought 35 members who arrived bright and early before lunch, with great anticipation for the day ahead.

There might have been some strategy at play when the Cerebral Palsy Education Centre (CPEC) and the Alkira centre from Box Hill sat together this year; their combined efforts had them win first ($1000) and second ($500) prizes respectively.

Ashleigh from CPEC said that the group keeps coming back because ‘it’s nice to support organisations that support us.’ Although admitting to not usually a big racing fan, Ashleigh added “the day out at the Greyhounds has been really fun.” The CPEC winnings will go towards new equipment for clients, like bikes and scooters, for even more fun days out.

Sarah from Alkira, who also attended the 2018 Great Chase final at the Meadows, said that the winnings will go towards some timely – and unexpected – maintenance on the group’s bus.

“The bus was graffitied last night so these winnings will go towards cleaning it up, something that we wouldn’t have been able to do without the $500 we won today.”

Sarah also reinforced the growing popularity of the Great Chase, and why Alkira is getting more involved this year. “We are coming to a few more Great Chase days this year. Last year we had heaps of fun and the money we won at Healesville and The Meadows really helped the clients out a lot.”

Although out of the winnings this year, members of last year’s winning group Blairlogie recounted the fantastic and memorable day they had in 2018. “The opportunity for the group to attend again was a chance we couldn’t pass up “said James from Blairlogie.

“It’s the event environment, very nice food and the social aspect for the clients that keeps us coming back’. Steven from Blairlogie summed up the day for the visitors; “watching them run is the best! I picked the winner in race 1!.”

Compiled by Phil Weir and Ben Pritchard.