June 5, 2015
When Hannah Phillips surged to the line on Flinders Luck in the Nanango BP Maiden last Saturday, she knew she had just clinched the Nanango Jockeys Premiership for 2014-15.
As runners moved into the gates for the finale, her father Barry looked set to add the title of top trainer to the family’s harvest.
Earlier in the program, Captain Clayton took out the K & D Plant Hire BM 65 Handicap (1200m).
That result pushed Phillips to a 3-1-0 scoreline, edging ahead of Glenn Richardson’s 3-0-3 mark.
The Danbird gelding, seemingly like a bulldog with a bone on home soil, recorded three wins and a second from four outings in racing year’s six meetings.
The eight-year-old warrior is a most deserving Horse Of The Year.
The last race, the Nanango Vet Surgery BM 60 (1600m) was taken out by Winner Wimmer, a member of Patrick Sexton’s Oakey string.
The team had quite a Saturday.
His debutante juvenile Nothin’ Zappenin’ earned second money in the Nanango RSL/Margaret and Gary Banks Memorial Maiden Plate (1000m), and they picked up races at Toowoomba and Goondiwindi as well.
The irony is that Sexton also saddled up Flinders Luck, so the stable’s Nanango total for the season went from 1-1-1 to 3-2-1 in the space of five races.
So it seems the Oakey horseman has grabbed a last stride premiership success.
The work of the Phillips unit should not be underestimated because their Lee Park strike rates are formidable.
Hannah’s 19 essays amassed five wins and four placings, while her father has only sent out seven starters at Lee Park since August 1, 2014.
Presentation of the awards will take place on Nanango Cup Day (August 1).
By the way, Hannah’s main rival Melody O’Brien headed to Goondiwindi.
She bagged four winners, including Kilgharrah, for Sexton, and on one she replaced the indisposed Lyall Appo.
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Marion Mary Wins For Marion Mary
If you are aged 93, you’re not vain if you name your racehorse after yourself.
Last weekend’s race book showed that an unraced Hidden Dragon filly called Marion Mary, which had drawn the inside barrier in the Lee Park opener, was raced by a M.M. Lucey.
M.M. Lucey’s father-in-law, Len Lucey, was a well-known racing and business figure in the Mount Garnet area of North Queensland.
Because of a land donation, the park that is home to the local racetrack is named after him.
Marion and her late husband Keith were great friends with Brian Mayfield-Smith’s family.
He was the struggling trainer who went from a caravan existence at Cannon Park in Cairns to ousting Tommy Smith from the top roost on the Sydney trainers’ premiership.
The Luceys helped give Brian a kick along by sending him Global Bid to prepare. The one-time stockman responded by chalking up eight races and a Mareeba Cup with his charge.
Marion’s son Michael was at Lee Park to cheer on Marion Mary, a filly that he bred and his son Aaron broke in.
By a weird coincidence, Winx – a daughter of Las Vegas Showgirl – annexed last Saturday’s Queensland Oaks. Aaron Lucey is presently working as a dancer in that very same Nevada city.
Michael Lucey is a licensed trainer based at Pilton near Clifton.
Marion Mary (the horse) spent time working with cattle there, and arguably that experience has stood her in good stead.
The grey was very relaxed, tractable and business-like for a raw beginner.
The Col Williamson trained three-year-old jumped well, railed superbly and dug deep in the dash to the mirror.
Marion Mary (the turf enthusiast) will no doubt head from her family cattle property to attend the Mount Garnet Amateur Turf Club’s race meeting this Friday and Saturday.
She will have some good news to spread.
* * *
From A Smile To A Grin
Hannah English makes her race-riding debut at Gayndah on Saturday, and she has five chances to join the “winners are grinners” club.
Her Nanango master Glenn Richardson has supplied Miss Pugnacious while Patrick Sexton, who she helps out with track work tasks, has given the 4kg rookie the sit on his last start winners Kilgharrah, Flinders Luck and Winner Wimmer.
Hannah’s fourth opportunity for the yard is Luck’s In.
Hopefully the neddy’s monicker is a positive omen.
