August 20, 2017
The entree to last Saturday’s attractive program at Nanango was the Blessing Of The Jockeys by Father Dan Grundy.
The ceremony was part of an annual, national initiative that celebrates jockeys and commemorates those that have perished at work.
Soon after there was a brief taste of the dangers inherent in the occupation when Billie-Rose Derbyshire was dislodged, thankfully without harm, from Going Ballistic en route to the barriers for the first race.
The horse was well fired up and did a few laps of the track before heading back to the tie-up stalls.
Thankfully, spectators showed respect and refrained from making noises that could have urged the animal on.
Such a sensible approach is by no means universal.
Derbyshire’s partner Encore Sall pushed open her gate just as the starter was set to release the second field for the day.
The Gatton rider quickly reined in the Clifton contender and no harm was done.
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Four Side Dishes
Green salad was the flavour of the Deb Frecklington MP Maiden Plate (800m).
That colour is used to describe the race behaviour of newcomers that are inclined to wander off the direct line.
Tycoon Zip, a Written Tycoon four-year-old on debut, certainly shifted out in running, despite wearing blinkers and a tongue-control bit.
The bay, prepared at Toowoomba by Shane Smith, gave Hannah English the first leg of a winning treble when it scraped in by a nostril over the fast finishing Nice Time, a seven-year-old resuming after a 17 month absence.
Third in was Jackie Crompton’s charge Kapachino Miss, a mare that lived up to her dam’s name: the five-year-old, now with 11 placings to her credit, is out of Frustration, a daughter of Charmwood Forest.
There was a meaty filling to the Nanango Tourism and Development Association Founders’ Day Class 1 (1000m).
Gai Waterhouse outlayed $260,000 for Snitzel’s son Orleans as a yearling at the 2015 Inglis Easter Sales.
The expensive cuddy won a Newcastle juvenile Maiden in May last year before failing badly on a very wet Rosehill surface a fortnight later.
Nanango horseman Barry Phillips bought the gelding.
With his daughter Hannah in the pigskin, the now four-year-old found the Class 1 at Toowoomba, when coming off a 13 month absence, a bridge too far.
Noticeably it was a soft track that day three weeks ago, but Phillips had his new lodger cherry-ripe for his assignment on firm home turf.
Hannah, beaten a lip in the first, made no mistake.
Hayley Prince’s victory, with English as pilot, in the McDonalds Kingaroy QTIS Maiden Plate had traces of spice and sage.
Janet Barsby, the breeder of the Drumbeats gelding and its rival stablemate Princess Racer, journeyed from Warwick to watch the duo compete.
The pair are raced by Gympie couple Alex and Estelle Roberts and were saddled up by Pat Duff, and the camp’s decision to come to Lee Park was a wise one.
The target was the QTIS bonus worth $3,500 and the strategy netted them $8050, a total that exceeds the winning purse available at tougher TAB provincial eateries.
The extra zing to the repast came through the presence of Scott Pedron, the trainer who put the polish on Haylee Prince’s dam Haylee Miss.
Back in 2009-10, the Hayil mare scored at Gatton, Eidsvold and twice at Nanango.
The old firm of English and Oakey conditioner Patrick Sexton prevailed with Ibelieveicanfly in the Heritage Nanango BM 60 (1200m).
The Falvelon mare has picked up four wins and a third from her six most recent six outings with Hannah aboard, and English made every use of the inside draw.
On the other hand, Pedron’s pair, Stratalena and Fort Myer, were not disgraced.
They jumped from gates 10 and 11 and the latter blundered at the start.
Keep your eye on the Griffith visitor Star Hero. This recent long shot winner at Rockhampton motored home after giving away an impossible start on the home bend, which made stewards ask questions post-race.
If trainer Russell Hogan finds a similar task for the Von Costa de Hero gelding, the odds on offer could be tempting.
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Eaton Serves Up The Main
Cecily Eaton handled her good mate King Ludwig superbly in what was virtually an all-the-way pacemaking display in the main race of the day, the XXXX Fitzroy Hotel Nanango Cup (1600m).
Although they shared the lead for much of the trip, Eaton rated the Toowoomba nine-year-old well.
The Excites gelding responded well to grab a break early in the stretch but Joshua King came on the scene with the track specialist I’m No Ruby and King Ludwig looked vulnerable.
However, in a stirring finish, King Ludwig dug deep and secured the trophy with a half length margin.
Singaraja (Leeanne McCoy)was only three parts of a length away in third berth.
Eaton, who has been sidelined through injury at various stages of her career, relished the Cup success on a game horse that she has now ridden eight times.
A highlight for Cecily was an enjoyable invitation to compete in H.H. Sheika Fatima Bint Mubarak’s Ladies World Championship as part of the Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival at Rome’s Capanelle course on May 29 last year.
She also witnessed the series final in Dubai.
King Ludwig has chalked up two wins and three placings in the short time he has been in the ownership of trainer Jackie Crompton and her husband Wayne.
The rich $22,000 Nolan Meats Muster Cup at Gympie is this weekend’s goal.
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Dessert Suddenly Turns Sour
Racegoers were stunned and concerned when Lucky Ticket, after giving Jason Hoopert his 100th success since his horrendous accident at Kilcoy in 2006, veered out and violently collected the outside rail.
The pair had just taken the last race of the day – the Huston Nissan Class B Handicap (1600m) – ahead of Lachlan Dodds on First Regret.
Remarkably, the runner-up also shifted out abruptly approaching the post but fortunately pulled up safely.
Hoopert escaped from a very worrying situation with a sore shoulder.
He was released from hospital on Saturday night and has a full book at Gympie’s mouth watering program on Saturday.
All being well, he is off to Birdsville at the beginning of next month.
By the way, there were in-transit concerns when Paralema hung out severely.
Although the favourite Haven Duke lost his chances by being seriously checked by the grey, he did incredibly well to be six lengths adrift of the winner at the wire.
Paralema was officially beaten by 48 lengths, but the upside was that no horse or rider came to grief.
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The Real Winner
At day’s end, the main winner of this year’s Nanango Cup meeting could be described as “live racing”.
It offered a mix of thrills, drama, rousing finishes, colour and social interactions blended that gave race goers much to savour.
On course television coverage of away-track action provides what the stay-at-home populace access.
But it does not provide what the racetrack’s guests get to experience.
In short, the range of appetising items on a race day menu created a very satisfying experience.
The next meeting at Nanango is on Saturday, September 16.
Feather fascinators, fedoras and furs will be the Moffatdale Ridge Wines fashion theme.
