February 14, 2016
With the Council elections just a month away, politics was in the air at the Nanango Race Club’s Valentine’s meeting on Saturday … but no one really seemed to mind.
Most of the trackside pollies were South Burnett racetrack regulars anyway, and in sporting style, no one seemed to be campaigning (at least openly).
The February meeting was allocated to the Nanango Race Club in place of its former New Year’s meeting after Racing Queensland officials found the original date clashed with another meeting elsewhere.
While the date change overturned a long-standing tradition, Race Club officials agreed it wound up being beneficial.
Attendance numbers on Saturday were well up for Nanango Race Club’s first 2016 meeting, and the weather was more pleasant than the heatwave conditions that frequently accompanied New Year’s outings.
The club welcomed two new race sponsors on Saturday, although probably only for one meeting!
Outgoing South Burnett Mayor Wayne Kratzmann and retiring councillors Barry Green and Deb Palmer jointly sponsored Race 2, the “Farewell From The SBRC: Kratzie, Bazza and Deb” Benchmark 60 Handicap (1000m).
And mayoral candidate Cr Damien Tessmann sponsored the third race, the Damien Tessmann Maiden Plate (1200m).
Other pollies who put in an appearance trackside included Mayoral candidates Sheena Lindholm and Michael Brown; Division 1 candidate Roz Frohloff; Division 3 candidates Abigail Andersson and Deb Dennien; and Division 4 candidate Andrew Saal.
Because Valentine’s Day fell the day after the meeting, the fashion theme was “Pandemonium Pink” and there were pink dresses, ties, hats and even a bright pink suit purchased from Lowes Kingaroy on display in the crowd.
Nanango’s Copper Country Restaurant offered a lucky door prize of a dinner for two to the value of $70, which was won by Nancy Clarke, from Kingaroy.
All female and male Fashions Of The Field winners and runners-up won a piece of hand-crafted silver jewellery from Cr Kathy Duff.
Member for Nanango Deb Frecklington was also given a special “thank you!” from Nanango Race Club officials for her recent assistance helping the club to gain a Gambling Community Benefit Fund grant to buy a $20,000 Kubota ride-on mower from Ken Mills Machinery.
NRC President Andrew Green took Mrs Frecklington and her husband Jason into the club’s machinery shed between races to show them the new ride-on mower, which will significantly reduce the amount of work needed to keep the club’s 40 acres of lawns regularly mown.
The machine has replaced secondhand equipment the club has been using for several years.
“I really can’t thank Deb Frecklington and Ken Mills Machinery enough,” Andrew told southburnett.com.au.
The Nanango Race Club’s next meeting will be on Easter Saturday, March 26.
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Results
Race 1 – Threeway Photos Class 1 Handicap (800m)
1. Mollara (8) – Taylor Williams
2. Rocking Connection (2) – Jason Hoopert
3. Shouts All Round (3) – Chelsea Jokic
Time: 0:45.19
Margins: Short half head x 2 3/4 lengths
Race 2 – Farewell From The SBRC: Kratzie, Bazza & Debie BenchMark 60 Hcp (1000m)
1. Lisa Fashionista (1) – Hannah Phillips
2. Hizou (2) – Hannah English
3. I’m The One (3) – Lyall Appo
Time: 0:57.35
Margins: 1/2 length x 1 3/4 lengths
Race 3 – Damien Tessmann Maiden Plate (1200m)
1. At The Rouge (7) – Lyall Appo
2. O’Spacehello (10) – Ian Coombes
3. Alemana (12) – Hannah Phillips
Time: 1:10.67
Margins: 2 lengths x 1/2 length
Race 4 – Fiedler Brothers Plumbing Benchmark 50 Handicap (1200m)
1. Darling Be Good (7) – Jedidiah Hodge
2. Cover Up (6) – Melissa Cox
3. Hidden Road (3) – Jason Hoopert
Time: 1:10.46
Margins: 1 length x 5 lengths
Race 5 – Ken Mills Toyota Class B Handicap (1600m)
1. Eight Chance (1) – Adam Spinks
2. There’s Nemo (3) – Jason Hoopert
3. Aiming High (5) – Hannah Phillips
Time: 1:35.34
Margins: 4 3/4 lengths x head
- View videos all all five races on the Nanango Race Club’s YouTube Channel
Beautiful photos!