(Photo: Ross Stanley)
April 7, 2017
The lives of jockeys have always been programmed by the demands of travel – for example, racing fans are used to the swift raids the Hong Kong stars make on Australia’s carnivals.
Back in 1959, George Moore covered more than 50,000 miles in just over a week.
He kicked off at Longchamp in Paris, dashed to Aqueduct in the USA, returned to Longchamp, then went on to Newmarket in England before turning out in Italy.
Nanango apprentices Hannah Phillips and Hannah English also routinely click up the kilometres.
On Saturday, the former adds Gympie to Wandoan, Bundaberg, Esk and Gladstone on her list of recent ports of call.
Come Sunday, the diary for the latter will show two trips to both the Sunshine Coast and Ipswich, and single days at Gatton and Gympie.
These journeys are sometimes for just one or two mounts.
Hopefully, field sizes will soon rise to a healthy, steady average and so increase the potential for a better income.
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Bits And Bridles
- Because of the short working week, nominations for Nanango’s Easter Saturday fixture close next Monday morning. Acceptances are due on Wednesday. The QTIS Maiden Plate (1000m) should prove attractive as it carries various bonuses for QTIS fillies and QTIS horses up to five-year-olds.
- Lee Park’s reputation as a competitive venue has been enhanced by the subsequent deeds of I’m No Ruby, the winner of the BM 60 Handicap (1600m) there in February. The Peter King trained 50/1 shot went down by a mere length and a quarter when third in a $60,000 Doomben BM 75 (1630m) on March 11.
- The Lindsay Anderson-Hannah Phillips combination were worth an each way bet at Callaghan Park last Saturday when Clouds ($13) and Glenthorn Avenue ($21) were both placed. The Andersons’ Master of Design-Checklist filly was knocked down at the Capricornia Yearling Sales for $8000. The issue of the advancing extreme weather may have been influenced the day’s transactions. Of the 95 lots catalogued, 11 were withdrawn and 22 were passed-in. In 2016, the corresponding figures were 97:3-18. The gross takings went down from $935,000 to $793,750.
- Racing Queensland has released the state’s racing dates for 1 July 2017-30 June 2018. The future schedule for the core South Burnett courses is as follows – Nanango: April 15, 2017 (Easter), May 27, August 12, September 16, December 3 (Sunday), February 24, 2018 , March 31 (Easter), May 26; Wondai: 25 April, July 8, October 21, 25 April 2018; Kumbia: 7 November (Melbourne Cup); Burrandowan: May 13, 2017 and May 12, 2018.
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No Jitters For The Queen Elizabeth Stakes
Winx is expected to seal her 17th consecutive victory in the twinkle of an eye at Randwick on Saturday.
Although the likelihood of a dethronement for the reigning turf monarch in the event named for the reigning British monarch is remote, this particular contest has seemed jinxed at times.
Gunsynd, Rain Lover and Octagonal all went down when expected to have a perfect retirement send-off.
Odds-on favourites such as It’s A Dundeel, Lonhro, Sunline, Beau Zam and Our Waverley Star also lost unexpectedly.
Her Majesty attended the first running in 1954 and also the 1970 edition.
Blue Ocean recorded a shock win to start the ball rolling.
Sixteen years later, the Queenslander Panvale saluted at 100/1 for young Peter Cook.
His father Billy had been aboard another Queenslander in Carioca ,the idol that had missed a place behind Blue Ocean.
The antecedents to this year’s $4 million weight-for-age offering over 2000 metres include renewals staged as handicaps and some over distances to 2800 metres.
Jockey Hugh Bowman’s plan will be headed by a “don’t fence me in” outlook. His first requirement is for Winx to have a clear passage.
Hoofnote: The superstar Ajax has the dubious honour of running second (of three) in the 1930 Rawson Stakes at 40/1 on. Heroic’s son had chalked up 18 successive wins. That defeat by the Queenslander Spear Chief interrupted what would have become a 23 straight streak.
