February 5, 2016
Nanango Race Club’s pre-Valentine’s Day meeting on February 13 is certainly fashionably popular.
This year’s theme for Moffatdale Ridge Winery’s Fashions Of The Field contest is Pandemonium Pink.
There has been a positive public response to this new race date, which replaced the January date that coincided with the Magic Millions timeslot.
The weather is just that bit cooler, and almost everyone has returned from their summer holidays.
An added bonus for patrons on this occasion is the opportunity to win a dinner for two to the value of $70 at the Copper Country Motel and Restaurant.
Going racing with a group always adds an extra dimension to the outing, and one nice feature of Lee Park is that there is always room trackside for folk to put up their own canopy or marquee.
Bus transport is available from Kingaroy’s Glendon Street Depot (12:00 noon) and the Nanango RSL at 12:30pm.
Phone (07) 4163-2346 for any details about the day.
With Bundaberg racing on the sand this Saturday, connections of country class gallopers will no doubt welcome the upcoming competition on grass at Lee Park.
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The Local Fraternity
Hannah Phillips has engagements at Saturday’s TAB fixture at Dalby.
She rides her father Barry’s candidates Captain Clayton and Baremin as well as the Downs hopefuls Quelle Beaute and Real Ego for Gary Thwaite and Rex Lipp respectively.
James Curtain withdrew his acceptors Lord Wivenhoe and The Equine Bolt from their Caloundra appointments on Friday evening.
The course was rated a Heavy 10 in the morning but, ultimately, the program was switched to the cushion surface.
The duo are now likely to head to Dalby.
Phillips will ride the former while the latter will be handled by Ron Goltz.
Meanwhile Hannah English is trekking north to Bundaberg where she holds bookings for Mollara for her master Glenn Richardson, along with Lindsay Anderson’s pair Glenthorn Avenue and Hopetoun Street.
She will also be aboard King Kahn and Charson’s Gift for Darryl Gardiner, the local trainer that has supplied nine the 36 final acceptors.
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Southern Excitement Ahead
Punters attending Nanango’s first offering for the year will be treated to some very fine viewing with racing in Sydney and Melbourne picking up markedly as autumn approaches.
Randwick’s $250,000 Apollo Stakes (Gr 2) should see some open class stars poking out.
The three year old fillies have two black type options.
They can take each other on in the $175,000 Light Fingers Stakes (Gr 2,1200m) or take on the boys in the $175,000 Southern Cross (Gr 3, 1200m).
At Caufield, eight of the nine races to be decided are black type affairs.
Topping the bill is the $500,000 C.F.Orr Stakes (Group 1).
The three-year-olds have the $200,000 Autumn Stakes (Gr 2) reserved for their age level, while there is again some discrimination in the Blue Diamond Preludes for the juveniles.
The divisions for both genders carry a $200,000 purse but the fillies run for Group 2 glory but the label for the males is Group 3.
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Speeding Up And Dumbing Down
Victoria is introducing racing at thirty minute intervals for Saturday programs starting this weekend.
One race initially clashed head-on with Sydney, but the powers that be in New South Wales made a slight change to their scheduling to prevent a fiasco.
The main aim of the change is to reduce the amount of time folk have to stay at the track, on the principle that a fast game is a good game.
Moving forward, it will be a nightmare if every jurisdiction goes the same way.
It just needs a lengthy protest, a barrier hold up or an accident to create a motorway tailgating scenario.
Eventually all races will need to be 1,000 metres or shorter. A couple of sprints could be conducted in the time it takes to complete a staying event.
That means more turnover per operating second.
Don’t laugh!
Since the scandal about live-baiting in the greyhound world was aired, turnover on the code has actually increased.
My colleague Paul Dolan suggests it is because of a current social tendency to grab quick fixes: there is a buzz and a rush coming along quite frequently.
For many young players, racing is only a peripheral interest anyway. They bet with the corporates, taking up the deals sent to their phones and tablets. They have no need to go to a UBET agency or the track.
Many in this cohort have a wager according to social opportunity and not through any constant, on-going involvement with the sport and its culture.
Fortunately, there will be more than a half hour between races at Lee Park on February 13.
As well as taking in the exhilarating thoroughbred activity, racegoers will spend time chatting, enjoying refreshments, visiting the betting ring, and watching the parades, both human and equine.
They will catch up with friends and even make new ones, and their bodies will actually appreciate the relaxed pace.
It sounds like the place to be!
