Peter Jackson from Nanango’s Fitzroy Hotel accepts a trophy and a bottle of Moffatdale Ridge wine from St Mary’s Catholic College principal Angela Miles and senior staff Kim Schultz and Mandy Sullivan after his horse Jill’s Shadow won the St Mary’s Catholic College Class B Handicap
Proud dad Damien Martoo brought his twin daughters Minnie and Cherry to the meeting, as well as a very colourful coat

May 29, 2017

Nanango’s Autumn Race meeting is always dripping with trophies, and Saturday’s outing was no exception.

Nanango Race Club officials use the Autumn meeting to mark the end of their racing year, and the event was the final chance for jockeys, trainers and horses who’ve competed at the track over the past year to win gongs in the Race Club’s annual Premiership competitions.

The meeting is also traditionally the time the Race Club contests three popular events: the annual Garry and Margaret Banks Memorial Trophy, the St Mary’s Catholic College Cup, and the Glenn Richardson Racing Open Handicap.

As things turned out, the weather was near-perfect and nearly all the races were won by stand-out horses who beat their nearest rivals by a length or more.

None were favourites – much to the delight of bookies – but several were the next best thing, which was a great benefit to astute punters with an eye for form.

Presentations of trophies, horse rugs and Moffatdale Ridge wines were held after the 2nd, 3rd and 4th races to owners or trainers of the winners.

This year the Race Club also decided to run a free bus to and from the Goomeri Pumpkin Festival so that people who’d come to that event early could escape for an afternoon of trackside fun.

The move proved very successful, depositing an almost-full bus of racegoers at the track around 12:30pm, then whisking them back after the last race of the day was over so they could get a good night’s sleep before Sunday’s Pumpkin Festival.

Other patrons travelled from as far afield as Tweed Heads, the Sunshine Coast, Bribie Island and Caboolture to attend the meeting, many stylishly dressed to the day’s 1950s Retro fashion theme.

A visiting TV crew from Channel 7’s Queensland Weekender was also on the grounds, filming video and recording interviews to carry the full flavour of a South Burnett country race meeting back to the Big Smoke.

Queensland Weekender’s day out at the Nanango Races will be broadcast on Saturday, June 17 at 5:30pm.

* * *

The Nanango Race Club’s first meeting of the new racing year will be its Nanango Cup meeting on August 12, less than a fortnight after all horses celebrate their August 1 birthdays.

The meeting will see the announcement of the winners of the Race Club’s 2016-17 Premierships (best jockey, best trainer and best horse) and it is always one of Nanango’s biggest race meetings of the year.

Saturday’s Autumn meeting had a 1950s Retro fashion theme, and Roslyn and Philip Wingrave came from Burleigh Heads to show off their stylish ensembles
Bryan and Muriel Townsend from Banora Point came dressed in the Race Club’s colours
John and Delicia Haddoch from Tweed Heads wore striking black and white
The Sunshine Coast’s Chris Trueman and Marjorie Holt (at rear) with Clive and Jenny Carter and (at front) Al Tutton, Janette Innes and Harold Holt
St Mary’s Catholic College teachers held their annual day at the track … it was their last chance for a breather before the College’s big Open Day next Saturday, June 3
Brother and sister Ed Cox and Jenny Smith came from Hivesville with Jenny’s husband Barry for a day of fun at the track in near-perfect weather
Kim Snelling, from Bribie Island, added a touch of 1950s glamour to the betting ring
Mikayla-Jayne Banks, Aly Darmody, Tracey Jackson, Tyler Banks, 8, and Emily Jackson presented the Garry and Margaret Banks Memorial Trophy to trainer Lisa Sutton after her horse Kingsmith Flyer won Race 2 by a length and a half over its nearest competitor
After the trophy presentation, descendants of Garry and Margaret Banks gathered in the mounting yard for a group photo
Saturday was a day for family reunions at the track, and Cr Roz Frohloff and her husband Lindsay were accompanied by Nicola Gardner, Nick Frohloff, Erin Early, Hayley Frohloff and Michelle Gardner
The next generation of country race-goers were at the track too: Nanango’s Cooper Richardson, 8, and brothers Harry, 9, Jack, 11, and Tom Bell, 9, were all enjoying themselves
The legendary Pumpkings, from Brisbane, caught the bus from Goomeri to put in one final afternoon of training before Sunday’s Great Pumpkin Roll down Policeman’s Hill
The crew from Channel 7’s Queensland Weekender was also at the track to film highlights of the meeting, including host Duanne Strauss’ interview with race club patron John Lee; the show will be broadcast on Saturday, June 17 at 5:30pm
Jockey Melody O’Brien, strapper Karissa Thomas and trainer Steven Thomas with Turbo Teddy, which won Race 4 – the Glenn Richardson Racing Open Handicap – and secured Steven a Nanango Race Club horse rug

* * *

Jeptoo, with Nanango jockey Hannah Phillips aboard, was an easy winner in Race 1

Results

Race 1 – Nanango Vet Surgery BenchMark 60 Handicap (1000m)
1. Jeptoo (5) – Hannah Phillips
2. Hopetoun Street (3) – Hannah English
3. Got News For You (10) – Leeanne McCoy
Time: 0:57.43
Margins: 1 1/2 lengths x 3/4 length

Race 2 – Nanango RSL/Garry and Margaret Banks Memorial Maiden Plate (1200m)
1. Kingsmith Flyer (6) – Melody O’Brien
2. Joyfily (10) – Gemma Steele
3. Urubamba (7) – Hannah English
Time: 1:10.87
Margins: 1 1/2 lengths x 2 3/4 lengths

Race 3 – St Mary’s Catholic College Class B Handicap (1200m)
1. Jill’s Shadow (9) – Hannah English
2. Hypnotizing (8) – Jason Missen
3. Coonowrin Ruby (7) – Kelly Gates
Time: 1:10.54
Margins: Length x 1/2 length

Race 4 – Glenn Richardson Racing Open Handicap (1200m)
1. Turbo Teddy (7) – Melody O’Brien
2. Glenthorn Avenue (5) – Gemma Steele
3. Klammer (1) – Hannah English
Time: 1:08.87
Margins: 1 1/4 lengths x neck

Race 5 – Antler Motel BenchMark 55 Handicap (1500m)
1. Get On (2) – Gemma Steele
2. Laredo Hussler (1) – Paul Hamblin
3. Eight Chance (4) – Chris McIver
Time: 1:35.70
Margins: Neck x 1/2 length

  • View videos all all five races on the Nanango Race Club’s YouTube Channel
Jill’s Shadow was guided to a win in Race 3 by jockey Hannah English, a length clear of its nearest rival Hypnotizing with Coonowrin Ruby half a length further back

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