Punters In The Pink At Nanango

Country music singer Bridget O’Shannessy came along to Nanango Race Club’s Valentine’s Day meeting with her proud aunt Deputy Mayor Kathy Duff, who was judging the Fashions Of The Field competition … the up and coming young artist will be releasing a new single soon

February 17, 2020

Nanango Race Club’s Valentine’s Day meeting had one more race than initially expected, giving punters a bonus at Lee Park’s first meeting of the year.

Partly because of race cancellations at other circuit tracks due to recent weather, Nanango received more nominations for Saturday’s meeting than the normal five-race card could accept.

Racing Queensland intervened and opted to give every acceptor for the Nanango Bookmakers Association’s Benchmark 50 Handicap a run by splitting one race into two with 10 runners apiece.

This avoided the alternative of a single race of 12 horses with five reserves, which would have deprived many connections of a vital opportunity.

To squeeze the program in, the program started slightly earlier and concluded slightly later … but no one seemed to mind.

The weather was hot an humid – and then briefly very wet – which encouraged racegoers to gather under the awnings, in the grandstand or the betting ring, emerging briefly trackside to cheer their favourites.

It wasn’t exactly a sea of pink trackside, but there was enough of it to make the task of picking the Fashions Of The Field winner difficult.

The club’s annual Valentine’s Day meeting always has a pink fashion theme and Deputy Mayor Kathy Duff – whose fondness for the colour is well-known – always judges it.

On Saturday, after a lot of deliberation, Cr Duff selected Gatton polocrosse player Haylee Martell as this year’s winner, and presented her with a hand-made silver bracelet.

Haylee, who normally rides for the Cunningham Polocrosse Club at Bony Mountain, is no stranger to the South Burnett.

She regularly plays on the Tansey polocrosse fields and said she’s looking forward to this year’s carnival, which will be held in May.

But Haylee was a newcomer to Lee Park on Saturday, and said Cr Duff’s bracelet would be a nice memento of her visit.

On the track, the meeting was largely incident-free until the last race.

Local trainer Glenn Richardson suffered a tragic blow in Race 6 when his five-year-old gelding Gallopinakis suffered a serious shoulder injury after an incident at the starting barriers.

Jockey Melissa Cox was unhurt, but the horse had to be euthanased.

Gatton polocrosse player Haylee Martell was presented with a hand-crafted silver bracelet by Cr Kathy Duff … it was Haylee’s first visit to Lee Park

Kingaroy’s Francine Hancock, May O’Brien and Kylie Hancock all wore pink on the day – partly to compete in the Fashions competition, and partly to see if they could out-pink the judge

Kingaroy’s Angela Gaffney chatted with well-known local rugby league player Ashley Smallwood, Nanango

Caroline Carlqvist, Brisbane, joined Jae Clarke and Courtney Brown, from Nanango, in the betting ring with Caroline’s friend Bek Harrington, also from Brisbane

Cr Roz Frohloff and South Burnett Mayor Keith Campbell with Nanango Race Club’s Leisa Green in the undercover area

Suzi Beutel, from Kingaroy, and Jude Snell, from Caloundra, added a floral touch to the meeting … Suzi has recently returned to the South Burnett after spending many years in Gladstone

Pamela Mohren and Sharon Johnson, from Nanango’s “Sassy Mama” fashion and accessories store, wore some of their own striking creations to the meeting

Nanango Race Club’s Marika Burrows – who usually assists in the Secretary’s office on race day – enjoyed a breath of fresh air in the mounting yard before the last race of the day

Nanango Race Club president Andrew Green presented a bottle of Moffatdale Ridge Wine to Ken Ferres, from the Nanango Bookmakers Association which sponsored the day’s feature races … Ken said Nanango was one of country Queensland’s best race tracks for bookmakers, and that’s why he’s been attending for the past 23 years

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Results

El Demonio raced past the finishing post 3/4 of a length ahead of nearest rival Glam Rock in the first race of the day, with Miss Carolee just a half head behind

In Race 4, margins were wider, with Warners Landing crossing the line a full 2.5 lengths ahead of next nearest rival Raku’s Secret

Race 1 – Bechley’s Transport Class B Handicap (800m)
1. El Demonio (2) – Emma MacPherson
2. Glam Rock (1) – Hannah Phillips
2. Miss Carolee (5) – Hannah English
Time: 0:46.83
Margins: 3/4 length x 1/2 head

Race 2 – Heritage Bank BenchMark 65 Handicap (1000m)
1. Arnwood (6) – Hannah English
2. Shiver Me Timbers (10) – Minonette Kennedy
3. Last Armageddon (2) – Kate Patch
Time: 0:57.93
Margins: 3 1/2 lengths x 1/2 length

Race 3 – Nanango Caravan Service & Repairs Maiden Plate (1200m)
1. Camouflage Girl (6) – Vishan Venkaya
2. Daddy Warbucks (1) – Robert Faehr
3. Ventures Sight (7) – Stephanie Lacy
Time: 1:12.98
Margins: Head x 3/4 length

Race 4 – Nanango Bookmakers Association BenchMark 50 Handicap (1200m)
1. Warners Landing (1) – Isabella Rabjones
2. Raku’s Secret (9) – Tessa Townsend
3. Wild Element (4) – Robert Faehr
Time: 1:11.95
Margins: 2 1/2 lengths x 2 3/4 lengths

Race 5 – Nanango Bookmakers Association BenchMark 50 Handicap (1200m)
1. Black Envy (8) – Hannah English
2. Positive Spin (7) – Robert Faehr
3. Tin’s Pocket (9) – Hannah Phillips
Time: 1:11:90
Margins: 1 length x 1 1/4 lengths

Race 6 – Ken Mills Toyota BenchMark 55 Handicap (1600m)
1. Nine Cigars (5) – Robert Faehr
2. Stormborn Angel (10) – Kelly Gates
3. Harbour Skies (6) – Angela Taylor
Time: 1:37:98
Margins: 1 1/2 lengths x 3 lengths

View videos of all six races on the Nanango Race Club’s YouTube Channel

In Race 5, horses raced against an impending thunderstorm with Black Envy prevailing by length over Positive Spin, and Tin’s Pocket another 1/4 length away in third place

By the final race, the skies had cleared again and Nine Cigars enjoyed an easy 1.5 lengths win against next nearest rival Stormborn Angel

Racing

One Response to "Punters In The Pink At Nanango"

Barry Krosch says:

February 18, 2020 at 8:13 am

Thanks for this excellent coverage of Nanango Race Club’s Valentine’s Day meeting. It looks like everyone had a fun day? Great photographs here as well of course.

Pamela and Sharon, from Nanango’s “Sassy Mama” fashion and accessories store are indeed one pair of very sassy mamas. Well done! Our three South Burnett Regional Councillors all looked very smart. (Dare I say it so close to an election? They always look smart.)

But the one Nanango resident who surely leads the field in the South Burnett fashion stakes must be Jae Clark? His outfits never fail to impress and he is always the picture of sartorial sophistication.