February 20, 2016
The outcomes of last Saturday’s work day for several Lee Park identities were positive overall, despite some elements of frustration and sorrow.
When it came to picking her ride for the first on the Nanango card, apprentice Hannah English had the misfortune to pull the wrong rein.
She opted to partner Delightful Dancer, the Wonderful World mare prepared by Patrick Sexton instead of Mollara for her master Glenn Richardson in the Three Way Photos Class 1 Handicap (800m).
Mollara was a very inexpensive buy for Peter Jackson, the enthusiast who is mine host at Nanango’s Fitzroy Hotel.
His Bel Esprit mare had run second at all three outings for English since coming north from Victoria, and the bay looked certain to fill the runner-up spot again until two bounds before the mirror.
The lightly raced five-year-old made a desperate lunge for apprentice Taylor Williams, and prevailed by a short half head over Rocking Connection.
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The Farewell from the South Burnett Regional Council for Kratzie, Bazza and Debbie BM 60 Handicap (1000m) was next up.
The race had an emotional background for Hannah Phillips and her father Barry – it was the final day of their chapter as apprentice and master.
Hannah, with more than 40 winners in her logbook, is relocating to join Rex Lipp’s side at Toowoomba.
The strategy is wisely aimed at broadening her opportunities.
Lisa Fashionista, the first horse Hannah rode for Barry, appropriately played her part by scoring by a half length from the Sexton-English representative Hizou.
Third home was I’m The One handled by Lyall Appo, who booted home At The Rouge in the Damien Tessman Maiden Plate 1200m.
The Danasinga mare was saddled up by Warwick conditioner Gary Schwenke.
The chestnut is well named – the French link comes through her dam Happened in Paris .
Interestingly, the runner-up O’Spacehello is by O’Lohnro, the Chelmsford Stakes winner that is the product of a Lohnro-Mamzelle Pedrille mating.
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The Hannah and Barry Phillips partnership collected the minor money with Alemana.
The family went close to the perfect finale.
Hannah has been the only person to date to be on the back of the three-year-old that is named after a dance move.
The Bon Hoffa filly was bought by Hannah’s mother Jenny.
Because of her evening engagements at Toowoomba, Hannah English had to forgo her chance to back up on her recent Kilcoy winner Darling Be Good in the Fiedler Brothers Plumbing Handicap BM 50 (1200m) … and you can guess the rest.
With Jed Hodge aboard, the Carry the Flag mare accounted for Cover Up (Melissa Cox) and Hidden Road (Jason Hoopert).
Darling Be Good is trained by Bill Keenan at Clifton. He also put the polish on the dam Pure Angel.
English’s Saturday did improve markedly, though.
She snared two of the six events at Clifford Park for the Sexton and Kevin Kemp camps.
Her 34 successes for the season thus far places her just short of a top ten position on Queensland’s all comers-all tracks premiership ladder.
Hannah currently has a six win lead on the Country table.
Her wonderful results have been rewarded with her selection as Queensland’s representative at a national apprentices’ event in Tasmania next month.
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Elsewhere, Adam Spinks registered his eighth victory with a praiseworthy, copybook effort on the hot favourite Eight Chance in the Ken Mills Toyota Class B (1600m).
He positioned the son of Lonhro perfectly behind the pace and got the gelding that looks so much like his sire to relax beautifully.
The Toowoomba based son of the Danehill mare Trail of Gold was taken to the outside in the run to the home turn.
It was all over red rover soon after as the Neville Petersen trained four year old nonchalantly took command.
The last start Dalby Maiden winner easily posted a margin of almost five lengths – look out for him in provincial Class 1 company.
Lee Park’s track surface and environs were in superb order last weekend, and new records were clocked by the first two winners.
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Nanango’s next meeting will be Easter Saturday, 26 March and traditionally it’s a bumper day.
The Moffatdale Ridge Wines fashion theme will be an intriguing one. It has been billed as “Royalty -Vintage, Lace and Pearls”.
Meanwhile punters can access the Lee Park replays by clicking the You Tube button at nanangoraces.com
