Meeting Springs A Few Surprises

Shae Cull and good friend Karlie Zemek, both from Kingaroy, dressed in floral outfits for Nanango’s Spring race meeting … the stylish duo are regular Fashions Of The Field winners at Lee Park

September 14, 2021

Racegoers at Nanango’s Spring meeting on Saturday could have been forgiven for ripping up their tickets when the favourite bolted early.

The horse – Igbo – ran 300 metres along the course before it could be pulled up.

Igbo was checked and cleared by the course vet and returned to the barriers but most people would have thought its chances of winning after such an enthusiastic gallop had evaporated.

However, punters who held their nerve (and their tickets) were rewarded soon afterwards when the race finally got under way – correctly, this time – and local jockey Hannah Phillips guided the wayward Igbo to the winning post half a neck ahead of its nearest rival.

The win was the first of two on Saturday for Phillips, but Igbo was the only favourite on the day to pay in the betting ring.

Hannah repeated her success in Race 2, guiding Diggity to a win just a head in front of the highly fancied Voulait.

She went on to score a fourth in the Deb Frecklington MP Maiden Plate in Race 3.

The meeting was blessed by bright Spring sunshine and almost cloudless skies.

A good-sized crowd took advantage of the shady spaces under the Race Club’s awnings or around the grandstand to avoid an early season sunburn.

Both the bar and canteen did brisk business, and many stylishly dressed patrons took the day’s “Spring Has Sprung” fashion theme to heart with bold floral outfits.

Race Club president Andrew Green said he was pleased with both the turnout and the weather, but was looking forward to some rain in coming months to freshen up the track for summer.

The next race meeting in the region will be the South Burnett Race Club’s Caulfield Cup meeting at Wondai on October 16, followed by Kumbia Race Club’s Melbourne Cup meeting on November 2.

Nanango Race Club’s next outing will be its Christmas race meeting on Saturday, December 4.

Ray Hill and Maree Hanson, from Kingaroy, brought a refreshingly relaxed approach to the day’s “Spring Has Sprung” fashion theme, sheltering from the sun in the grandstand

Member for Nanango Deb Frecklington and her husband Jason were on hand to congratulate the winner of Race 3

Mitchell and Brooke, from Kingaroy, met up with Nanango friends Kayla and Chaise for a relaxed day of trackside fun and fashion

Kingaroy Joinery’s Darrin and Amanda Kefford sponsored Race 4 and were on hand with daughters Ava and Mia (far right) and their friends Chanteal Woods and Sophie Stone to present a trophy to the winners

Mont Mont owners Darren Wooster and Doug Stabe said were happy to win the Kingaroy Joinery trophy, and even more pleased to find it came with a bottle of Moffatdale Ridge wine

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Just half a neck separated Igbo and Raining Riches in Race 1, much to the delight of punters who thought their chances of winning had vanished when Igbo bolted before the race got underway

Margins were equally tight in Race 2, with Hannah Phillips guiding Diggity to a win just a head in front of highly fancied favourite Voulait

Results

Race 1 – Timbertowner’s Car Detailing Class B Handicap (800m)
1. Igbo (4) – Hannah Phillips
2. Raining Riches (10) – Chris Meehan
2. La Belle La Belle (13e) – Hannah Richardson
Time: 0:46.44
Margins: Half neck x length

Race 2 – Star Tyre Power Kingaroy Open Handicap (1000m)
1. Diggity (4) – Hannah Phillips
2. Voulait (2) – Jake Molloy
3. Music Scene (3) – Shannyn Stephan
Time: 0:58.53
Margins: Head x 2 1/4 lengths

Race 3 – Deb Frecklington MP Maiden Plate (1200m)
1. High Rewards (5) – Shannyn Stephan
2. Empire Day (2) – Jasmine Cornish
3. Arceagle (4) – Chris Meehan
Time: 1:11.67
Margins: Long head x 3/4 length

Race 4 – Kingaroy Joinery QTIS BenchMark 50 Handicap (1200m)
1. Mont Mont (2) – Vishan Venkaya
2. Dulcie Tie (1) – Jake Molloy
3. One Of A Kind (13e) – Robert Faehr
Time: 1:09.98
Margins: Length x 2 1/4 lengths

Race 5 – Heritage Bank Nanango Class B Handicap (1600m)
1. Beat It (7) – Jasmine Cornish
2. Ourlastpenny (10) – Damien Boutet
3. Gaius Julius (3) – Kelly Gates
Time: 1:36:25
Margins: 1/2 length x 3 1/4 lengths