Fashions of the Field winner Dee White,  from Rainbow Beach, with judge Cr Kathy Duff, and runner-up Katie Paterson, from Nanango 

January 13, 2014

Racegoers were “in the pink” at the South Burnett’s first race meeting for 2014 held at Nanango’s Lee Park on Saturday.

The meeting, which coincided with the Magic Millions carnival on the Gold Coast, attracted a keen crowd of punters and fashion lovers, many of whom dressed to the theme of  “Pink Perfection and Pinstripes” .

Judge for the Fashions of the Field competition was – naturally enough – the South Burnett Regional Council’s “woman in pink” Cr Kathy Duff.

The Nanango Race Club’s famous “Pink Champagne bar” also did a roaring trade while jockeys also seemed to play along to the theme, with the winners of Races 1 and 4 wearing pink silks …

Local residents may have been having fun in the stands but on the track it was another story with only one local horse – Sammy Safecracker trained by Kaylene Hamilton in Nanango – managing to score a place in the five-race card.

The riders also weren’t having a great day, with two finishing with six meeting suspensions for careless riding – Wayne O’Connell (Race 1) and Brooke Stower (Race 3);  Stower was also fined $100 for returning to scale overweight in Race 1.

The next race meeting at Nanango will be held on April 19 with the fashion theme of “Glorious Gents and Lacey Ladies”.

At the Pink Champagne Bar … Peta and Jamie Harmsworth, Josh and Shae Cull and Karlie and Clinton Zemek, all from Kingaroy
Fashions of the Field success … Girls runner-up Annie White and winner Scarlett Duggan, 5, from Rainbow Beach; boys winner Jimmy Duggan, 7, from Rainbow Beach; and teen winners Chanai Johnson,  15, from Exmouth in Western Australia, and Darren Russell, 14, from Nanango
Fashions of the Field judges Cr Kathy Duff (South Burnett) and Cr Jamie Mackenzie (Southern Downs) with men’s winner Jamie Harmsworth, from Kingaroy, and runner-up Symon Duggan, from Rainbow Beach  
Nanango Race Club president John Lee and club racing ambassador Noel Trace with special guest Queensland Racing Integrity Commissioner  – and former Police Commissioner – Jim O’Sullivan

Bec and Jo Downie with Braedon McKee, all from Nanango

Scott, Darryl, Kay and Kimberley Dove … Kay was celebrating her birthday at the races
Vicki Sparkes, from Taroom, with friend Tegan Young, from Brisbane
Jodi-Ann Rowell, Maitland Collins, Darren Russell, Nikkeah Hockey and Sherrie Bowater, from Nanango

* * *

Chris Kearney, on Park Central, and Ian Coombes, on Pendarie, charge to the post in Race 5 

RESULTS

Race 1 – Three Way Photos Maiden Plate (800m)
1. Special Rose (7) – James Orman
2. Sammy Safecracker (3) – Ian Coombes
3. Five Mile Road (2) – Gary Geran
Time: 0:46.20
Margins: 3/4 length x 1 3/4 lengths

Race 2 – Nanango Gas Suppliers Benchmark 60 Handicap (1000m)
1. Come On Lu Lu (5) – Glenn Lynch
2. Boot Shaker (1) – Gary Geran
3. Pedernales (7) – Nathan Evans
Time: 0:57.90
Margins: 1 length x 6 3/4 lengths

Race 3 – Nanango Foodworks Maiden Plate (1200m)
1. Active Star (4) – Wayne O’Connell
2. Wake Up Wally (3) – Glenn Lynch
3. Red Mint (6) – Mark Lewis
Time: 1:11.20
Margins: Short half head x 1 1/2 lengths

Race 4 – Star Tyre Power Benchmark 70 Handicap (1200m)
1. Montreaux Jazz (6) – Brooke Stower
2. Beautiful Barb (7) – Wayne O’Connell
3. Zippity Jet (8) – Ricky Johnston-Bell
Time: 1:10.40
Margins: 1/2 length x short neck

Race 5 – Roccos Pet Supplies Class B Handicap (1600m)
1. Pendarie (1) – Ian Coombes
2. Park Central (6) – Chris Kearney
3. Picalova (2) – Billie-Rose Derbyshire
Time: 1:37.20
Margins: Nose x 3/4 length

Active Star (Wayne O’Connell) holds on to beat Wake Up Wally (Glen Lynch) on the rails by a short half head in Race 3