Nanango’s Spring race meeting was a riot of colour on Saturday … the Fashions Of The Field winners were awarded gift packs of Moffatdale Ridge wines for their eye-popping efforts

September 15, 2020

Nanango Race Club’s Spring race meeting on Saturday was full or surprises … and one of the biggest was the size of the crowd that packed into Lee Park.

Nanango Race Club’s courtesy bus from Kingaroy was filled near to capacity, and the crowds waiting at Nanango’s Fitzroy Hotel were so large the bus had to make several extra trips to ferry all passengers to the track.

Like the club’s August outing, the meeting was run as a COVID Safe event. This meant all guests had to provide contact details at the front gate and circulate in a slightly altered trackside layout where both the regular canteen and Pink Champagne Bars were closed.

A feature of the meeting was the running of the Nanango Cup, an annual event usually held each August.

This year – mostly because of scheduling conflicts, but partly because of the pandemic – the Cup was held over a month to the Spring meeting.

The result was a smaller than usual field vying for the $10,250 prize money on offer.

But the Cup competition was no less fierce than usual, and it produced one of the closest races of the day with winner Craiglea Simmo just managing to pip Legs Unbarred to the winning post by half a length.

Nanango Race Club also used to meeting to debut its new saddlecloths, which were sponsored by the Jackson family.

The new gear sports special modifications that helps prevent riders and their saddles slipping during a race.

The South East Country Racing Association (SECRA) also made use of the meeting to present its annual awards.

The year Nanango owners, trainers and jockeys took the lions share of these coveted gongs.

Fitzroy Hotel publican Peter Jackson was awarded Owner Of The Year for his horse Eight Over; Nanango trainer Glenn Richardson was awarded Trainer Of The Year; and Glenn’s wife Hannah was awarded Jockey Of The Year.

Another regular feature of the Race Club’s program that was missing at its first post-COVID meeting last month – the Fashions Of The Field competition – also made a welcome return on Saturday.

Cr Kathy Duff prowled the grounds while the first trio of races were run to find the most stylish patrons, and later presented the winners with packs of Moffatdale Ridge wines after the judges had arrived at their decisions.

Nanango State High School students Sophie Stone, Emily Shelley and Robyn Sawtell enjoyed a day out at the track to follow their school formal the night before
Rhiannon Herrmann and Reagan Hutfield travelled from Kingaroy to enjoy the Spring race meeting
Hervey Bay’s Scott Carter, Darren Senter, Brandon Lindeberg and Allan Dwight paid $130 each to buy their eye-popping outfits online, then travelled to Lee Park to spread the positive mental health message that regardless of the pandemic, it’s always possible to relax and have fun!
Sunshine Coast local Tori Catrell won first prize in the women’s Fashions Of The Field competition for her stylish outfit, and was presented with her prize by competition organiser Cr Kathy Duff, at left
The Fashions competition normally has prizes for the winner and runner-up, but on Saturday Cr Duff changed the rules to award 2nd and 3rd prizes in the women’s section (because they made more effort) and only a first prize in the men’s section … afterwards, winner Tori Catterall posed with stylish placegetters Karlie Zemek and Shae Cull
Nanango Race Club sponsor Peter Jackson was presented with the SECRA trophy for Horse Of The Year by SECRA chairman Lyle Murray … Peter’s horse Eight Over tied for the top prize this year with Bundaberg horse Al’s Prince

Nanango trainer Glenn Richardson won this year’s SECRA Trainer Of The Year award …

… and his wife Hannah (nee English) took SECRA’s Jockey Of The Year award for good measure
Another highlight of the meeting was the first outing of Nanango Race Club’s new saddlecloths, which are specially produced to help prevent riding gear – and riders – from slipping … the saddlecloths were sponsored by Rebecca, Leah, Peter and Drew Jackson, who were thanked by Nanango Race Club president Andrew Green
Winners are grinners … this year’s Nanango Cup trophies went to Craiglea Simmo’s trainer (and part owner) Krystle Johnston and winning jockey Adam Spinks
Apart from the normal race day crowd, Cr Kathy Duff hosted a crowd of more than 40 relatives and friends at the meeting to celebrate her older brother Stephen’s 60th birthday … Cr Duff juggled hosting the event with her duties as the meeting’s Fashions Of The Field organiser

* * *

Craiglea Simmo narrowly beat rival Legs Unbarred to score this year’s Nanango Cup by half a length, much to the delight of trainer and part owner Krystle Johnson

Results

Race 1 – Nanango Caravan Service & Repairs QTIS Maiden Plate (1000m)
1. Emmabrooke (6) – Ron Goltz
2. Marylee (7) – Marnu Potgieter
2. Craiglea Daniel (3) – Adam Spinks
Time: 0:57.99
Margins: Short neck x 6 3/4 lengths

Race 2 – Star Motel Nanango BenchMark 60 Handicap (1000m)
1. Walshie (1) – Paul Hamblin
2. Petite Elle (6) – Girish Goomany
3. Havashout (2) – Rebecca Wilson
Time: 0:57.66
Margins: 6 lengths x short neck

Race 3 – Huston Nissan Class B Handicap (1200m)
1. Tedder Express (7) – Hannah Richardson
2. De Vega Peach (4) – Robert Faehr
3. Curry Connection (3) – Rebecca Wilson
Time: 1:09.91
Margins: 4 3/4 lengths x 3 1/4 lengths

Race 4 – Fitzroy Hotel Cheers Drought Master Lager Nanango Cup Open Handicap (1600m)
1. Craiglea Simmo (6) – Adam Spinks
2. Legs Unbarred (4) – Robert Faehr
3. Gambit (3) – Hannah Richardson
Time: 1:36.23
Margins: 1/2 length x 1 1/2 lengths

Race 5 – Heritage Bank Nanango Class B Handicap (1600m)
1. Mahussey (1) – Paul Hamblin
2. Heather Joan (8) – Adam Spinks
3. Fury Of The Storm (2) – Hannah Richardson
Time: 1:34:18
Margins: 16 lengths x short neck

  • View videos of all five races on the Nanango Race Club’s YouTube Channel
It was a different story in the final race of the day, though, when Mahussey streaked past the winning post almost 16 lengths ahead of its next nearest rival

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2 Responses to "Crowds Flock To Nanango"

  2. Just had a look at the video footage of the races. Whoops! the video camera operator caught the crowd along the finishing straight. Should have zoomed in on the horses…..

    This could fill the government coffers

    Reply

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