A COTSWOLDS racing legend is tipping a local charity to race home an odds-on favourite as its fundraising campaign heads into the final furlong.

Stow Rugby Club challenged the community to come up with the wackiest ways to pass an over-sized rugby ball around and raise money for Kate's Home Nursing.

The Gilbert-made ball has been to almost every corner of the Cotswolds and on Saturday August 28 will be at the racing stables of former jockey and Irish National Hunt racehorse trainer Jonjo O'Neill will be the latest to rise to the challenge.

A trainer with the Midas touch, Jonjo was the force behind racehorse Don’t Push It which won the 2010 Grand National ridden by AP McCoy. And in March 2012 saw his horse, Synchronised, win the Cheltenham Gold Cup.

On its variety-packed voyage, the ball has been passed by sporty water polo players, dainty ballerinas, giant quarry diggers, frisky Iron Age pigs and a fleet of mobility scooters, amongst others. Each event is filmed so people can watch the ball’s adventures and progress on the official website www.facebook.com/CarryMeHomeKate.

The rugby club is hoping to raise £20,000 as the ball nears the end of its journey. Most recently it has been passed among king penguins at Birdland, in Bourton, and among the miniature buildings in the village's model village.

It has collected signatures on its travels including those fro Cotswolds-based Olympic gold medal-winning dressage rider Carl Hester; BBC DIY SOS presenter Nick Knowles; BBC Countryfile presenter Adam Henson and star Gloucester players Elliott Stooke, Tom Savage, Jacob Rowan and Mark Atkinson.

After leaving the racing stables, the ball will be at Winchcombe Show on August 31 and Moreton Show on September 5.

On September 6 the RAF Falcons parachute display team from Brize Norton aims to touch down on Stow RFC's pitch at 12noon to launch the final fundraiser. The action-packed event features a match between Stow RFC under-9s and Tewkesbury under-9s, coached by former Stow junior Richard Whincup. There are children’s activities, a parachute run, jungle run, raffle, bouncy castle, games, stalls, food, licensed bar, live music and Zorb balls.

Kate’s Home Nursing, which needs £280,000 a year to carry on caring for terminally ill people in their own homes and donations will be gratefully received on the day.