Danielle Pazmany, Justin Carsburg, Corey Matthews, Jackie Walker, Matt Redfern and Cynthia Walker came from Kingaroy to celebrate Valentine’s Day at the track

February 16, 2015

A happy crowd descended on the Lee Park Racecourse in Nanango on Saturday for the club’s Valentine’s Day meeting.

The Nanango Race Club was having a free entry day to thank race-goers for their support, and many couples (and singles) took advantage of the offer to celebrate the international day of romance trackside.

The meeting’s theme was “A Twist Of Pink Romance”, and there was pink everywhere – pink dresses and hats worn by many women, and pink ties and shirts worn by many men.

The club’s popular Pink Champagne Bar was also well-patronised, and several bar staff sported pink attire.

Punters were also very well served, with a good spread of acceptances from both local trainers and those further afield.

It promised an interesting – and at times, challenging – day of racing where picking winners could test even the most skilled form judges.

As things turned out, jockey Jodi Worley had the best day, scoring two wins and two seconds off the five-race card.

Nanango jockey Hannah Phillips also did well, running third in Race 1 on Shinzo Mashuranbo, then winning Race 2 decisively with Captain Clayton.

The race club also paid a special tribute to veteran South Burnett trainer Max Guldbransen, who chose the meeting to announce his retirement from the industry after a lifetime’s work (you can read the full story in Gunsynd’s Gossip this Friday, February 20).

Because the meeting was targeted at adults, judges dispensed with the junior grades of the popular Fashions Of The Field contest and focused on the grown-ups instead, awarding prizes in the Men’s and Ladies sections as well as an extra prize for the most fashionable couple.

The competition was judged by Cr Kathy Duff and Verelle O’Shanesy from the Jondaryan Race Club.

Afterwards Cr Duff presented a hand-made silver bracelet to Ladies section winner Kelli White, and a hand-made silver tie clip to Men’s section winner Scott Anderson.

The bonus gifts were in memory of her grandfather John Duff, who met grandmother Dorothea Evans at the first Burrandowan Picnic Race meeting in 1913.

John had entered his thoroughbred Thunderclap in the Lady’s Bracelet race (where all horses had to have a lady’s name) and was so taken by the young beauty he renamed it Dorothea.

Thunderclap won; John presented the gold watch prize to Dorothea; and the couple were married four years later.

Cr Duff has been presenting a silver bracelet to the winning jockey of Burrandowan’s Lady’s Bracelet race ever since 2012 to honour her family’s 102-year-old connection to the South Burnett’s racing industry.

And in her new role as patron of the Nanango Race Club’s annual pink-themed day, this year she extended the custom to Nanango as well.

[Photos by Clive Lowe Photography and southburnett.com.au]

Ladies Fashions Of The Field runner-up Roz Frohloff, Nanango, with judge Cr Kathy Duff, winner Kelli White from Kings Creek via Clifton, and judge Verelle O’Shanesy, from Jondaryan Race Club
Former Nanango Shire Mayor Reg McCallum and Race Club President John Lee paid a special tribute to veteran local trainer Max Guldbransen who announced his retirement at Saturday’s meeting

Emily Warren and Anthony Lindholm, both from Kingaroy, turned out in fine style for the meeting

SG Hair Designs workmates Shailee Davis, Kingaroy, and Thea Applebee, Nanango, had fun at the track
Men’s Fashion Of The Field winner Scott Anderson and runner-up Daniel Street, both from Nanango, with judges Cr Kathy Duff, left, and Verelle O’Shanesy, right

Sarah Armstrong, from Nanango, is a regular at the club’s meetings, and was dressed to the Valentine’s Day theme (Photo: Clive Lowe)

Racing Ambassador Sheena Uebergang assisted with the Fashions Of The Field competition (Photo: Clive Lowe)
Peter and Alyce Collins, from Kingaroy, were voted the most stylish couple in the Fashions Of The Field competition by judges Cr Kathy Duff and Verelle O’Shanesy

southburnett.com.au’s racing columnist Ross Stanley consults the race book between events (Photo: Clive Lowe)

Cr Barry Green, a keen member of the Nanango Race Club, did a bit of compering on the day (Photo: Clive Lowe)
Nanango friends Mackenzie Gerber, 9, and Katie Turnbull, 10, took advantage of the free face painting at the racecourse

Cr Kathy Duff presented a silver tie-clip to Men’s Fashions Of The Field winner Scott Anderson, from Nanango …

… and a silver bracelet to Ladies Fashion winner Kelli White, who once lived in Murgon but now lives near Clifton
The real Valentine’s Day spirit … Allan and Rose Legge, from Kingaroy, had a day out at the races to celebrate their 10th wedding anniversary

* * *

They’re off! Horses leave the barrier for the fifth race – the 1600m Nanango Gas Suppliers Class B Handicap (Photo: Clive Lowe)

Results

Race 1 – Three Way Photos Class 1 Handicap (800m)
1. Empress Ayleah (7) – Billie-Rose Derbyshire
2. La Tenza (6) – Sarah Eilbeck
3. Shinzo Mashuranbo (8) – Hannah Phillips
Time: 0:45.74
Margins: Head x long head

Race 2 – Ken Mills Toyota Benchmark 66 Handicap (1000m)
1. Captain Clayton (1) – Hannah Phillips
2. Latin American (3) – Jodi Worley
3. Miss Typin (8) – Nathan Evans
Time: 0:57.73
Margins: 3 3/4 lengths x 3/4 length

Race 3 – Barambah Vet Surgery Benchmark 55 Handicap (1200m)
1. Sweet And Savage (9) – Davin Green
2. Mystic Medusa (11) – Jodi Worley
3. Canid (2) – Rick Johnston-Bell
Time: 1:11.28
Margins: 1/2 length x neck

Race 4 – Samios Plumbing And Hardware Maiden Handicap (1200m)
1. Carbonendi (9) – Jodi Worley
2. Monschapelle (10) – Isabella Rabjones
3. Mr Seduction (13) – Jedidiah Hodge
Time: 1:11.56
Margins: 1/2 length x long neck

Race 5 – Nanango Gas Suppliers Class B Handicap (1600m)
1. Pryendi (1) – Jodi Worley
2. Never Ignore (7) – Damion McIntosh
3. Galway Town (3) – Brent Evans
Time: 1:35.50
Margins: 1/2 head x short neck

Billie-Rose Derbyshire guides Empress Ayleah over the finishing line in Race 1, narrowly beating La Tenza and Shinzo Mashuranbo
There were no real competitors to speak of in Race 2 when Hannah Phillps steered Captain Clayton to a win, a full three and three-quarter lengths ahead of its next nearest rival
Race 3 produced a much tighter finish when 11-1 longshot Sweet and Savage outpaced its closest rival by half a length to take out line honours
Race 4 produced another tight finish when second favourite Carbonendi just managed to outpace Monschapelle and Mr Seduction at the finish line
Pryendi pipped the highly fancied Never Ignore by half a head in the final race of the day

 

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