Women’s Fashions Of The Field winner Katrina McKenzie and Unique Style winner Caylen Cox are congratulated by Member for Nanango Deb Frecklington and judge Gay Watson, from Kilcoy

November 5, 2014

If you can’t be at Flemington, Kumbia is always the next-best place to be on Melbourne Cup Day.

The 2014 Kumbia Cup Day meeting on Tuesday was as popular as ever with punters and the fashion-conscious.

South Burnett trainers also had some cause for joy, scoring a win and three placings in the first two races.

Wondai’s Norma King and Kumbia Race Club vice-president James Curtain both picked up placings in the first race with Hidden Duck and Amber Ale, while Memerambi’s Christiene Nettelfield won the second race with Talk Back.

Kingaroy trainer Tom Moloney’s Yamanners, ridden by Nanango apprentice Hannah Phillips, came in second.

Phillips was having her third day back at work after suffering a serious knee injury in July when a horse she was riding at Nanango shied in the barriers.

She was rewarded with two placings.

The feature race, the Huston Motors Kumbia Cup Open Handicap, had only three runners after Rattle’n’Run was scratched, but it was still hotly contested.

Aashiq, with Naoki Ogura on board, continued its recent Cup campaign crossing the line just a short neck ahead of Brady’n’Me ridden by Lyall Appo.

In recent weeks Aashiq has taken out the Wondai Cup and come third in the Gympie Cup.

Kumbia Race club officials said they were very pleased with the day’s turn-out as well as  the support the meeting attracted from a wide range of sponsors.

The course was crowded with revellers who came from near and far to enjoy the fine spring weather.

The bar and betting ring were packed most of the day.

Many other guests took seats under shade marquees set up between the club’s bar and dining room to watch the races from Flemington on the big screen TVs.

Shortly after the Melbourne Cup was decided, Kumbia launched its Fashions Of The Field competition which this year attracted 20 stylishly dressed female competitors, and almost as many males.

The Kumbia Race Club club’s next meeting will be held on Saturday, March 14, 2015.

Men’s Fashions Of The Field runner-up Shannon Scott, from Taste South Burnett in Kingaroy, and winner Matt Barbour, from Kumbia, right, share a joke with Member for Nanango Deb Frecklington

Nanango mother and daughter Lynelle and Katie Paterson showed their style

Taylah Waite, from Kumbia, and Jess Haug, from Kingaroy, sparkled in white and black outfits
Ailsa and Tony Brame travelled from Jandowae for the meeting; Tony, a former police inspector, is a  councillor on the Western Downs Regional Council

Anglican priest Father Tony Swansson and his wife Kate enjoyed a last day out at Kumbia before his transfer to Beaudesert next month

Huston Motors customer service staff Sue Kiehne, Charly Seng and Michelle Walters enjoyed a day off at the track
Nicholas, 10, and Samuel Erwin, 8, and friend Rory Voller, 11 – all from Kingaroy – showed age is no barrier when it comes to looking fashionable

The Fashions Of The Field competition was hotly contested, attracting entrants from Brisbane and Gympie as well as locals

Workmates Catherine Neal, from Memerambi, and Hannah English, from Nanango, came for a fun day out

Danny Kreutzer, from Wondai, enjoyed the day with friends Lylah Calvert, Trevor Nightingale and Zak Alanskas, all from Kingaroy

Russel and Doreen Ostwald, Rockhampton, Myrten and Lexene Spreadborough, Roma, and Desley and Boyd Laycock, Kilcoy
Friends Louise Eden, Amy Mayer, Amber Allen and Jamie Ferguson took the day off to go to the track
Kumbia Race Club president Brian Lenihan looked on as Huston Motors sales manager Dean Gauld presented the Kumbia Cup to Aashiq’s owners Janice Ciampa and Jason Judge, with jockey Naoki Ogura and Sue, Charly and Michelle from Huston Motors’ customer service team

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Hannah Phillips was rewarded with two placings after a four-month lay off caused by injury

Results

Race 1 – BP Roadhouse Nanango/Cross’s Livestock Transport Benchmark 65 Handicap (900m)
1. Buddy Rocks (6) – Gary Geran
2. Hidden Duck (5) – Jason Missen
3. Amber Ale (1) – Manabu Kai
Time: 0:50.50
Margins: Short neck x 1/2 length

Race 2 – St Mary’s Catholic College/McDonalds Kingaroy/Kumbia Hotel Maiden Plate (1000m)
1. Talk Back (5) – Jason Missen
2. Yamanners (6) – Hannah Phillips
3. Navillus Rexted (1) – Lyall Appo
Time: 0:57.45
Margins: 2 3/4 lengths x 2 1/4 lengths

Race 3 – BGA Agriservices/Carrollee Hotel/XXXX Lion Beer/South Burnett Dental Class B Handicap (1000m)
1. All In All (3) – Nathan Evans
2. Oggie (2) – Gary Geran
3. Our Starlight (6) – Melody O’Brien
Time: 0:57.25
Margins: 2 lengths x 1 3/4 lengths

Race 4 – South Burnett Regional Council/Kingaroy Real Estate/Anderson’s Produce QTIS Class 1 Handicap (1200m)
1. Dubstep (8) – Damion McIntosh
2. Jewel Rustler (5) – Manabu Kai
3. Mystery Angel (6) – Gary Geran
Time: 1:09.00
Margins: 3 3/4 lengths x 1 1/4 lengths

Race 5 – Huston Motors Kumbia Cup Open Handicap (1200m)
1. Aashiq (2) – Naoki Ogura
2. Brady’n’Me (3) – Lyall Appo
3. Atlanta Falcon (4) – Hannah Phillips
Time: 1:09.64
Margins: Short neck x 1 1/4 lengths

Local trainer Christiene Nettelfield’s “Talk Back” scoots towards the finishing post in Race 2 under the stewardship of jockey Jason Missen

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