Nathan Beer and Charmaine Burrows came from Wondai to add a Festive Season splash of colour to the Christmas Race Meeting, and later walked away with a Fashions Of The Field win for their troubles

December 10, 2020

Nanango’s Lee Park hosted a large crowd of racegoers on Saturday for its annual Christmas Races, despite the sweltering temperatures.

The temperature got so high at one point there were concerns the meeting might need to be abandoned midway.

But fortunately the mercury didn’t go over the critical limit that would have forced Nanango Race Club officials’ hands.

Trackside, most punters kept under the shade of the covered awnings, the betting ring, the main grandstand and the canteen for most of the day, only venturing out into the sunshine towards late afternoon.

As usual for the past few meetings, guests had to supply their contact tracing details at the main gate and were encouraged to use the hand sanitisers spread around the course.

But beyond these now common emblems of the pandemic, the meeting proceeded along its usual course.

The fashion theme was “Jingle All The Way To The Races” and the few guests who dressed for it competed for Moffatdale Ridge wine prizes.

Most others favoured comfort above couture, dressing down for summer with casual clothes and – for one group – matching loud shirts.

In the betting ring, punters had to choose from small fields for all the day’s races, but the quality of the horses was high.

Favourites were unable to secure a win in any of the day’s five races, much to the delight of bookies and the chagrin of punters.

Nanango Race Club’s next meeting – which will be the first race meeting in the South Burnett for 2021 – will be held on Saturday, February 13.

Fashions judge Cr Kathy Duff had to create a new Group Fashion category so she could award a prize to this happy group of punters who travelled from the Burpengary Hotel to take in a day of country racing
Blackbutt’s Alarna Callaghan met up with Nanango friend Christine Lee at the track … the pair won a Fashions prize for their eye-catching Christmas angel costumes

Chinchilla trainer Jo Rayner was congratulated by Russell McCallum after her horse won the Malcolm McCallum Memorial

Jack Doggett and his mum Peta came from Booie for the Christmas meeting … Peta later went on to win a Fashions prize for her Christmas bell-themed outfit
Members of the Elgin Vale QCWA looked after the canteen, which was back in action on Saturday after COVID restrictions forced it to be converted into a temporary jockey’s changing room for the past six months
Paul McInally, (centre), from Three Way Photos sponsored Race 3 and later congratulated winning Irish jockey Chris Meehan and his wife Niamh
Nick Frohloff, representing the Pederson family, and Nanango RSL president Chas Kemp presented the trophy for Race 4 – the Nanango RSL/Pederson Memorial – to winning jockey Robert Faehr

* * *

In Race 1, Oakfield Comanche (Hannah Phillips) outpaced Leica Firecracker (Kelly Gates) by two lengths
Margins weren’t much tighter in Race 2, when All Eez (Jason Missen) put paid to Music Scene’s hopes (Shannyn Stephan) by a length and a half

Results

Race 1 – Star Tyre Power Kingaroy Class B Handicap (1000m)
1. Oakfield Comanche (1) – Hannah Phillips
2. Leica Firecracker (3) – Kelly Gates
2. Rockshore (4) – Chris Meehan
Time: 0:58.71
Margins: 2 lengths x 3 1/4 lengths

Race 2 – Malcolm McCallum Memorial Open Handicap (1000m)
1. All Eez (2) – Jason Missen
2. Music Scene (5) – Shannyn Stephan
3. Viceman (3) – Hannah Phillips
Time: 0:57.55
Margins: 1 1/2 lengths x 2 lengths

Race 3 – Three Way Photos Maiden Plate (1200m)
1. Carlton Star (1) – Chris Meehan
2. Just For Glory (5) – Hannah Richardson
3. Miss Pixie (8) – Shannyn Stephan
Time: 1:10.69
Margins: Length x 4 lengths

Race 4 – Nanango RSL / Pederson Memorial / Burnett To The Valley BenchMark 60 Handicap (1200m)
1. Wild Element (2) – Robert Faehr
2. Turbo Teddy (4) – Hannah Phillips
3. Run Pam Run (1) – Hannah Richardson
Time: 1:10.63
Margins: 3/4 length x 1 3/4 lengths

Race 5 – Heritage Bank Nanango BenchMark 55 Handicap (1600m)
1. Craiglea Arion (3) – Hannah Richardson
2. Fury Of The Storm (2) – Kelly Gates
3. My Certain (1) – Robert Faehr
Time: 1:35:20
Margins: 8 1/4 lengths x 7 1/2 lengths

  • View videos of all five races on the Nanango Race Club’s YouTube Channel
Things tightened in Race 3 when Carlton Star (Chris Meehan) narrowly beat Just For Glory (Hannah Richardson) …
… and they tightened a little further in Race 4 when the distance between winner Wild Element (Robert Faehr) and runner-up Turbo Teddy (Hannah Phillips) was barely 3/4 of a length

 

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