March 13, 2018
Nanango trainer Glenn Richardson and his apprentice Hannah English picked up a double with First Bid and Urubamba and a third spot with Waiting Game on the sand at Bundaberg last Saturday.
The stable has chalked up five wins and six placings during the past four weeks.
First Bid ($3.10) followed up his Lee Park Maiden victory in late February with a narrow success in the Class B Handicap (800m).
Urubamba ($3.10) shed her Maiden tag, scoring comfortably over the 1212 metre journey.
The Ad Valorem mare’s previous four outings had accrued a runner-up cheque at Eidsvold, a third prize at Nanango and fourth-placed money at Burrandowan and Deepwater.
The March 31 celebration of the re-opening of racing in Nanango in April 1968 offers some extra prizes for the public.
One lucky losing betting ticket will convert to a two night accommodation package at The Bunyas, courtesy of Wayne and Eleanor Kratzmann, while the Moffatdale Ridge Winery Fashion contest will be the source of beautiful handcrafted silver jewellery made by Councillor Kathy Duff.
The theme is Pink Vintage Glamour and Bonnets.
There is no non-TAB meeting in the south-east this coming weekend.
The one on the Downs is at Wandowan.
Nanango, with a QTIS Bonus Maiden on the card, should be an attractive proposition for grass track horses come the last day of this month.
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The Gardens Will Be In Full Bloom
This Saturday’s fiesta at Rosehill Gardens, headed by the $3.5 million for two-year-olds has been the subject of much promotion by the host, the Australian Turf Club.
Since the merger of the Australian Jockey Club and the Sydney Turf Club, there have been suggestions that the western Harbour City course has been left to follow in the wake of Randwick.
There can be no excuses for a poor roll up this year – the blockbuster for the juveniles is brimful of intrigue.
In the $1m George Ryder Stakes (1500m), Winx – one of six nominations for Team Chris Waller – takes on a more competitive line up than she usually is asked to confront.
Also set down for decision are the $700,000 Ranvet Stakes, The Galaxy with a similar purse, and the $600,000 Rosehill Guineas.
Queensland interest in the Slipper centres around the Tony Gollan trained Ef Troop and Sunlight, the southern filly that is seeking to become the first of her gender to take out the Magic Millions-Slipper double, an honour achieved thus far by Danzero, Phelan Ready and Capitalist.
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Flogging A Dead Horse
The upshot to the whip farce around the $1.25m VRC Newmarket is a need for the nation’s authorities to have another lash at a policy that has become a less than humorous joke.
The Group One sprint winner Redkirk Warrior scraped in by a short head from Brave Smash.
The successful rider Regan Bayliss was fined $5,000 and outed for eight meetings because he infringed the rule.
His mount was struck eight times (or three above the maximum) before the 100 metre mark.
Of course riders are going to break the rule when there is such a large pot of gold at stake.
It probably needs connections of a clean skin runner-up to protest, lose at the inquiry and then go on an all out legal assault to fully test the situation.
Best this is sorted before the crunch comes in a Melbourne Cup that is won by a short half head.
It is not a good look when a law breaker gets the spoils ahead of a law abiding rival.
One solution is to ban all whips.
Frame your own market on that little notion!
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Country Hoops Sidelined
Wayne O’Connell and Shannon Apthorpe have been disqualified for nine months and six months respectively after testing positive to cannabis at Clifford Park on January 28.
Queensland Racing Integrity Commission head Ross Barnett said both men had 14 days to lodge appeals for an internal review.
