March 29, 2018
Nanango Race Club’s program for Easter Saturday has attracted wonderfully strong interest by owners and trainers, with large fields the order of the day.
At acceptance time on Wednesday, the track racing was a pleasing Good 3.
Racing Queensland has come to the party by opting to conduct two divisions of the Purser Buses QTIS Maiden Plate.
With 24 hopefuls paid up, all camps now get a crack at the prize money instead of having just one race with a host of reserves and eliminations.
Particularly contented are the 16 sets of connections eyeing the QTIS bonus payouts.
Important cash is at stake.
For example, if a Queensland Thoroughbred Incentive Scheme (QTIS) qualified filly or mare aged under five years salutes, the cheque will be for $9800.
Males under six earn $8050, while non-QTIS registered thoroughbreds pick up $4550.
A QTIS success here is almost akin to winning two races for the price of one!
South Burnett hopes rest principally with Nanango’s Glenn Richardson and Wondai’s Stewart Barr, who have five and four aspirants respectively, while Kaylene Hamilton and Neville O’Toole will saddle up a candidate apiece.
Deagon trainer Pat Duff, who scored with Mick’s Luck a half century ago, will line up with Princess Racer, a Drumbeats mare that has not raced since August last year.
The lightly raced four-year-old did trial fairly at Doomben earlier this month.
Punters who follow the “horses for courses” theory will note that two gallopers with a Lee Park Horse Of The Year title on their resume clash in the Macdonalds Kingaroy BM 65 Handicap.
Turbo Teddy, with a 4:2-2-0 return at Nanango, and Hopetoun Street (6:2-2-1) will be partnered by non-claiming Nanango juniors Hannah Phillips and Hannah English, the local who is the clear leader on the Jockeys Premiership with just two meetings left for the season.
Oakey sprinter Jeptoo, with 7:3-2-0 track form line, also seems to relish the venue, particularly over the metric half mile.
Barry Green’s purple and gold silks that were referred to in last week’s column are set to be worn by Sally Sweeney on Murranji.
Green, a Nanango Race Club committeeman, life-member, and a multiple premiership winning trainer, is one of the few identities with an unbroken 50 years association with the Nanango course.
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The Earlier Years
This weekend’s Lee Park race day celebrates the resumption of racing in Nanango in 1968 after a three decade hiatus.
It is worth mentioning, however, that the sport began in the district before Eagle Farm staged its first program in August 1865.
There was action as early as December 26-27, 1859 at Nanango Station, a property that was destined to become associated with the Caffery family.
Afterwards, Steamer Lagoon, a part of which was to be a farm for the Langan family, was the venue.
It was the scene for the first Cup event.
On January 5, 1869, local mailman Pat McCallum collected the striking, English-made trophy when he rode his own horse Pilgrim to an easy victory.
The event was the Stewards’ Cup.
The Brisbane Courier (January 13, 1869) reported that the event was a two mile contest at welterweights.
The silver cup was valued at ten guineas, there was a sweepstakes of £1 payable by each officer, and they had to ride their own horse.
The result was as follows:
Mr P. McCallum’s br.g. Pilgrim, 3 years … 1
Mr D.Ord’s br.g Baronet, aged ? … 2
Mr C. Rome’s ch.g. Forfeit, five years … 3
Mr G. Clapperton’s b.g. Kangaroo …0
Dr Koerner’s Faust ch.g Faust … 0
Mr. W.G.M.Pitt’s blk.g. Tearaway … dr
(dr=unknown, possibly “dropped rider)
The next day, Pilgrim was “distanced” in the £30 Hurdle (two miles, six leaps, four feet).
He was second home, after baulking at the penultimate fence.
McCallum’s grandson Reg, the former President and now patron of the N.R.C., currently opens the gate after the place getters numbers have been displayed by the Nanango judges.
Patrons are reminded that the historical display in the railway building, that was the hub for that April 20, 1968 fixture, is open for inspection on Easter Saturday.
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Bits And Bridles
- It comes as no surprise at all that Winx will not be heading overseas for the English summer. Connections have a very safety first outlook, the purses are inferior to Australian offerings and the lifting of four Cox Plates would possibly be an eternally unique achievement. Whilst there is no doubting the Street Cry (Ire) mare’s champion qualities, comparisons with international heroes such as Phar Lap and Black Caviar become less convincing.
- Racing veterans have reason to be surprised at the demise of two long-entrenched Easter traditions. Randwick’s Doncaster-Sydney Cup cards on the Saturday and the Monday had represented the pinnacle of New South Wales for generations. Rosehill’s upcoming two-day fare does have a pair of Group One competitions on the first day, but the second serving is for mid-weekers.
- The iconic South Australian festival at Oakbank is a fraction of its former self. It is now dominated by flat racing with just two jumping events on each of the two days. Monday’s legendary Great Eastern Steeple has just six acceptors. The shifting of the Von Doussa ‘Chase from the Saturday to a date earlier in the month has backfired. The field size for Monday’s key attraction has not been enhanced.
- “Progress” is the reason for both disappointments. The administrators decided to provide locked-in dates for the NSW autumn carnivals rather than rotate around the Easter’s mobility on the calendar. The decimation of jumps racing in general has been a serious factor in the Adelaide Hills’ slippage.
- Things may be grim in the south this Easter, but happily there is a lot to look forward to at Lee Park on Saturday. As well as some wonderful live entertainment on the turf, the chance to renew acquaintances is also high on the list. Such opportunities are rare these days. See you there!!!
