Race Meeting Full Of Surprises

Member for Nanango Deb Frecklington presented the John Lee Memorial race trophy to Rebecca Alexander, a connection of the winning stable

August 12, 2021

Last Saturday’s Nanango Cup race meeting at Lee Park was full of surprises, but perhaps the biggest was that the day’s $10,000 feature race was won by Nanango Race Club’s 2020-21 premier jockey and trainer.

With all Australian racehorses celebrating their birthday on August 1, Nanango Race Club’s winter meeting is the South Burnett’s first of the new racing year, and as usual it kicked off with a Blessing Of The Jockeys ceremony.

This wishes all jockeys and horses a safe year of racing. It was performed by Rod Morgan and witnessed by track officials and a handful of early racegoers before the day’s racing got under way.

After this, Nanango Race Club officials announced the results of the club’s 2020-21 premierships.

The award for the Top Jockey for the 2020-21 racing year at Lee Park went to popular local hoop Hannah Richardson.

Her husband Glenn won the trophy for Top Trainer.

Hannah enjoyed a big start to the 2021-22 season, being placed in five of the six races on the card and landing three winners, including the prestigious Nanango Cup.

Glenn also had a great start to the year, training three winners and two placegetters.

Member for Nanango Deb Frecklington’s plans for a quiet day at the track with her family were overturned when she was asked to hand out prizes for the Fashions of the Field and the trophy for Race 1.

Out on the track, crowd numbers quickly grew on a surprisingly warm winter day as keen punters waited for the feature race, Race 5 – the Nanango Cup.

This year’s cup was won by 8-to-1 outsider Vermutin, with Hannah Richardson aboard.

The horse was trained by her husband Glenn, and it streaked past the finishing post a clear length and a half ahead of its next nearest rival.

Owners Sam and Tom Jackson said they were surprised but very pleased to win the prestigious race.

They were presented with their trophy by race club sponsor Peter Jackson, from the Fitzroy Hotel, and his grandson Hank.

The South Burnett’s next race meeting will be Nanango Race Club’s Spring race meeting on Saturday, September 11.

Race sponsor Andrew Beck, from Nanango’s Star Motel, presented the Race 2 trophy to owner and trainer Jackie Crompton and jockey Olivia Webb

The day’s racing began with the traditional Blessing Of The Jockeys ceremony, which is held at Lee Park each August to mark the start of the new racing year (Photo: Ross Stanley)

John and Lyn Seccombe, from Crows Nest, won the fashion prize for Classic Couple

Brenna Prendergast, from Kingaroy, won the Contemporary Best Dressed Woman fashion prize …

… and Marty Edser, from Crows Nest, took out the award for Contemporary Best Dressed Man

Deb Frecklington and Cr Kathy Duff congratulated Rachael Hood, from Kingaroy, who won the prize for Classic Women’s fashion …

… while Chris Hodda from Yarraman took the Classic Men’s fashion award, which turned out to be a bottle of Moffatdale Ridge wine

Race sponsor Peter Jackson and his grandson Hank presented this year’s Nanango Cup to owners Sam and Tom Jackson

Peter and Hank Jackson with this year’s Nanango premiership winning Richardsons … jockey Hannah, left, trainer Glenn, centre, son Cooper and Glenn’s proud mum Glenda

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Race 2 winner Kappy Cino led the pack past the winning post, finishing one and a half lengths clear of the next nearest rival

Results

Race 1 – National Jockeys Celebration/J. A. Lee Memorial BenchMark 50 Handicap (1000m)
1. Brutus (5) – Hannah Richardson
2. The Carpenter (4) – Isabella Rabjones
3. Rockshore (10) – Shannyn Stephan
Time: 0:57.35
Margins: 3 3/4 lengths x 1 1/2 lengths

Race 2 – Star Motel Nanango BenchMark 60 Handicap (1200m)
1. Kappy Cino (4) – Olivia Webb
2. Suffice (3) – Hannah Richardson
3. Hold All Tickets (5) – Kenji Yoshida
Time: 1:10.28
Margins: 1 1/2 lengths x 1/2 length

Race 3 – Col Ryan Memorial QTIS Maiden Plate (1200m)
1. Kakatiya (8) – Olivia Webb
2. Kingsford Tiger (2) – Isabella Rabjones
3. Hairy Lover (1) – Hannah Richardson
Time: 1:11.38
Margins: 1 1/4 lengths x long head

Race 4 – PCA Social Club BenchMark 45 Handicap (1200m)
1. The Old Bird (8) – Hannah Richardson
2. Petite Elle (12) – Bradley Appo
3. Bloodblister (9) – Rhiannon Payne
Time: 1:10.73
Margins: Length x neck

Race 5 – Cheers XXXX Nanango Cup Open Handicap (1600m)
1. Vermutin (8) – Hannah Richardson
2. Reset’s Son (6) – Jasmine Cornish
3. Chamberlain (3) – Isabella Teh
Time: 1:34.87
Margins: 1 1/2 lengths x 1 3/4 lengths

Race 6 – Heritage Bank Nanango Class B Handicap (1600m)
1. Craiglea Karly (6) – Isabella Teh
2. Foxy Rose (1) – Isabella Rabjones
3. Prompt Replay (5) – Chris Meehan
Time: 1:36.38
Margins: 3/4 length x 1/2 length