August 1, 2014
Given that all bar one candidate for Saturday’s 2014 XXXX Gold-Carrollee Hotel Nanango Cup (1600m) is on the minimum weight, punters will need inspired intuition to sort out their bets.
In desperation, some will no doubt take the omen lead – colour wise – and settle on Release Me
That choice wouldn’t be prompted by the Englebert Humperdinck hit song of the same name. Its lyrics are about a romantic break-up. and you need to sense a loving bond when picking a Cup fancy.
A more up upbeat link would be to heart-throb Enrique Iglesias. Spelling-wise, he’s nearly a match to Iglesia, the old gelding’s sire.
No: the obvious pointer is that the ten-year-old veteran of some 103 assignations will be sporting a black jacket with a white vee and a black and white striped cap that will be smartly topped with a white pom pom.
In short, Release Me’s rider Cecily Eaton would be a certainty in the Moffatdale Ridge Fashions Of The Field “Classic Black and White” contest.
Despite his age, Release Me does have a few good performance pointers.
His last four outings include placings at Goondiwindi, Mount Perry and Warwick and he was third in last year’s Cup.
The chestnut has also picked up two runner-up cheques during his four visits to Lee Park, and his owner-trainer Sel Andrews will not be coming all the way from Gatton to just see if wattle is in bloom in the Burnett.
The highest-rated runner is the top weight Extreme Mover, a Falvelon gelding that will be aided by Tiffani Brooker’s three kilogram claim.
The trip won’t worry the seven-year-old from Patrick Sexton’s Oakey yard.
Twenty-seven of his 79 engagements to date have been over the metric mile and the yield has been four wins, eight seconds and two thirds.
His recent efforts are confidence boosting, too, with three placings at Toowoomba in the Cup and two Benchmark 80 events.
There was also merit in his appearances at Ipswich and Eagle Farm.
Of the others, Gentle Giant steps up in distance; Glenthorn Avenue has the runs on the board in weaker company; Hillary’s Clang has an 8: 2-4-2 line for the journey; Vain Dazzler is from the in-form Norma King stable; Hardman Harry has claims; Chinsky will tote the lightest weight; and while Akbar looks to be out of his depth, shock upsets can happen!
The tip is to take no notice of anyone else’s opinion, read the race book and check out how your list looks in the pre-race parade.
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National Jockeys Celebration Day
National Jockeys Celebration Day will be marked at Nanango and a host of other courses around Australia this Saturday.
The bonus at Lee Park is that patrons can book at the office to observe a race start.
This up-close view heightens an appreciation of the tightness and tension in the thrust phase after the gates open.
Last year’s winning Nanango Cup rider (aboard Mimics) was Jason Hoopert.
He spent much of his recent suspension furthering his photographic interests and will be covering a wedding in Fiji on Saturday.
Sadly Desiree Gill, who was beaten less than a length on Harney a year back, will be deeply missed.
The fraternity’s thoughts will be with her widower Barry, the Gympie trainer who secured the South East Queensland Country Racing Association Trainers Premiership on home soil last weekend.
After rival Kerry Munce produced a winner to take the lead, Barry grabbed it back in somewhat surreal circumstances in the final race with Unique Fuse, the grand galloper that was the last steed to successfully convey Desiree in the Gill livery.
Beau Appo, who saluted on the Steele Ryan prepared Thunder Lane in the 2012 Cup, is in heavy demand at Eagle Farm on Saturday in the wake of his initial city double seven days earlier at Doomben.
Beau’s father Lyall, who has been riding frequently in the west for the Mark Goodwin stable, will be wearing silk at Goondiwindi.
The duo, the victorious combination with Kane’s Crossing in the 2005 Nanango Cup, will do it tough during the commemoration ceremonies, given that Leigh-Anne Goodwin lost her life at Roma on 5 December 1998.
It is timely to wish all owners the best of luck in this year’s Cup.
“Bill-payers” from all sorts of backgrounds have been successful in previous editions of the Nanango Cup.
In 2007 Alifly, handled by George Auckram, prevailed for a team of Brisbane postal workers.
The squad was headed by Ian Duncan, a turf enthusiast who once worked for the Post Offices at Nanango and Kingaroy.
Auckram was to eventually collect a very special “prize”.
He later returned to the Northern Rivers and is now married to Dallas Van Bekkum, the popular jockey who regularly rode in the South Burnett and Gympie.
Wonder what we will have to say about the outcome of the 2014 Cup?
I’m sure there’ll be an interesting tale or two – see you trackside!
