September 30, 2013
Punters who were scared off from Nanango’s Lee Park on Saturday because of the grey skies and drizzle in the morning missed out on a fine day of racing … and seeing the favourite take out the feature race.
The rain cleared before Race 1 and then the skies turned blue for a sunny afternoon of thoroughbred action.
The day was sponsored by the Heritage Building Society Nanango Community Branch and featured a five-race card.
Racegoers who wanted to follow the AFL Grand Final in Victoria were catered for by a big screen in the betting ring.
The theme for the Fashions of the Field was “Orange, Yella and Best Dressed Fellas” which ensured many colourful ties and outfits.
There was action aplenty on the track, too, with one jockey being tossed off his mount and another copping a two-meeting suspension for careless riding.
In Race 1, Chesil Beach reared up, striking the fence after leaving the mounting yard, tossing jockey Michael Hughes onto the track. Both horse and jockey were passed fit for the race.
In the same race, punters would have been scratching their heads over the form of Shimbrook, which was having her first start since August 2009 at Warwick. But they weren’t left wondering for long, with the nine-year-old mare tailing the field home.
Race 4, the Heritage Nanango Mardi Gras Cup, was also full of action. There was a late scratching at the barrier after Flight Command, with Rhiannon Payne on board, broke through and completed a full circuit of the racecourse before being reined in by the clerk of the course.
After the delayed start, Goondiwindi-trained Seaza galloped to an easy win in track record time.
After the race, apprentice jockey Taylor Williams, on third placegetter The Blizzard, pleaded guilty to careless riding after her horse shifted in, checking Not Without Sin.
But it was a good day for apprentice Brooke Ainsworth who rode a double, bringing home the winners of Race 2 and Race 5.
Local trainers weren’t so lucky with Lionel Richardson recording a second, and Glenn Richardson, a third.
Kumbia trainer James Curtain was unlucky in Race 2 when Colonel Sodhi was beaten by a head by Beaudesert-trained Daily Planet.
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RESULTS
Race 1 – People’s First Maiden Handicap (800m)
1. La Grande Derriere (6) – Jason Hoopert
2. Don’t Tellthegirls (5) – Anthony Merritt
3. Beautiful Cliche (3) – Tiffani Brooker
Time: 0:47.03
Margins: 1 3/4 lengths x 2 3/4 lengths
Race 2 – Heritage Community Grants Class 1 Handicap (1000m)
1. Daily Planet (3) – Brooke Ainsworth
2. Colonel Sodhi (6) – Billie-Rose Derbyshire
3. Dame Judi (11) – Shaun Bayliss
Time: 0:58.90
Margins: Head x 2 1/4 lengths
Race 3 – Heritage Bank Maiden Plate (1200m)
1. Al Jalila (8) – Michael Hughes
2. Our Playdough (5) – Wayne O’Connell
3. Sammy Safecracker (6) – Ian Coombes
Time: 1:12.00
Margins: 1/2 length x short neck
Race 4 – Heritage Nanango Mardi Gras Cup Benchmark 65 Handicap (1200m)
1. Seaza (4) – Shaun Bayliss
2. Release Me (1) – Tiffani Brooker
3. The Blizzard (6) – Taylor Williams
Time: 1:08.09 – Track Record
Margins: 3/4 length x long neck
Race 5 – Heritage Lodge Class B Handicap (1600m)
1 Burn and Turn (6) – Brooke Ainsworth
2 Danz Art (4) – Jason Hoopert
3 Double Top (11) – Nathan Evans
Time: 1:36.70
Margins: 1/2 length x head
