Nanango Turns Up The Heat

Nanango residents Pam Gardner, Sam Hill and Becky Gassman were enjoying a day at the races

August 12, 2026

The weather gods smiled this year for Nanango’s annual Cup Day races on Saturday at the Lee Park racecourse.

The skies were blue and there was plenty of sunshine for the first meeting of the new racing year, unlike last year’s blustery conditions.

The racing was also hot, with very tight finishes in the first three races, although the Cup itself was a runaway win to trainer Harry Richardson’s Grinzinger Knight, with Jess Emmerson in the saddle.

The eight-year-old gelding set a new track record, breaking a time which had stood since 2008.

The Fashions of the Field competitions were also keenly contested (see results, below) although some entrants would have started as odds-on favourites.

Race club sponsor Sportsbet also organised its now-traditional Cup Day relay foot race, with teams of four running with tiny trophies filled with milk.

Taabinga State School P&C was triumphant, winning the top cash prize.

Jenna Williams and Tim Enstrom, from Nanango, were relaxing near the canteen

Fashions of the Field judges Jayne McKenzie and Neva Hallam surveyed the entrants

Crowds lined the fence to watch the winner of the Nanango Cup, Grinzinger Knight, come back to scale

Jockey Reece O’Connell, who made his racing debut at Nanango only last September, was presented with the Nanango Race Club’s 2025-26 Jockey Of The Year trophy after notching up the most winners at the track during the past 12 months

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Sportsbet Relay Race

A new tradition is being forged at Nanango’s Cup Day meeting by sponsors Sportsbet … a relay foot race, with teams of four runners (or at least, fast walkers) trying hard to win cash prizes.

This year, volunteers from four school P&Cs – Crawford, Coolabunia, Nanango and Taabinga – lined up on the race track after Race 4.

Each runner had to carry a small trophy filled with milk, trying hard not to spill anything.

The winning team had to return home with their milk levels still above a line in the cup (there’s no point crying over any spills).

Taabinga took home the first prize ($1500), followed by Coolabunia ($1000), Crawford ($800) and Nanango ($700).

The winning foot race team … Team 4, from Taabinga State School

And the race starts … Team 1 (Crawford) took an early lead but were beaten home by Team 4 (Taabinga)

Some of the mid-race action …. the competitors were trying hard not spill the milk

South Burnett Mayor Kathy Duff with the competitors in the Sportsbet foot race

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Fashions Of The Field

The Fashions Of The Field competitions were squeezed in after Race 2 and Race 3, with judges Jayne McKenzie, from Kilcoy, and Neva Hallam, from Brisbane, carefully assessing the entrants.

South Burnett Mayor Kathy Duff also chose a winner for her “Paddock Pick” competition, selected from racegoers who do not want to parade on the fashion stage.

Classic Lady winner Verelle O’Shanesy, Jandowae; and runner-up Wendy Smart, Brisbane … the pair swapped roles in the Millinery competition with Wendy taking out the top prize ahead of Verelle

LEFT: Gentlemen’s competition runner-up Peter Cardiff, Brisbane; and winner Thomas Thompson, Cooyar. RIGHT: Contemporary Lady competition runner-up Julie Cardiff, Brisbane; and winner Jan Bulman, Warwick

Local Lady competition …. runner-up Bec Gill, Nanango; and winner Roz Frohloff, Nanango

Junior competition: Under 6s runner-up Amelia and winner Maverick; Over 6s winner Addilyn and runner-up William

Gaye O’Sullivan, from Murgon, was South Burnett Mayor Kathy Duff’s “Paddock Pick” … this prize is presented to someone who did not enter the main on-stage fashions competition

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The State Government has announced plans to expand the popular “Battle of the Bush” series.

Heats of the series are often raced at South Burnett tracks with the winners going head-to-head later in the year for big prizes at Eagle Farm.

The 1200m sprint series will now feature 16 heats, with prize money doubled from $12,500 to $25,000 for each race.

A new 1500m middle-distance series will also be introduced, with heats carrying $15,000 in prize money.

The existing $200,000 purse will remain in place for the 1200m final, while the new 1500m final will carry $100,000 in prize money.

A $30,000 QTIS bonus will be available to any eligible winner, with a further $10,000 bonus for the club where each winner qualified.

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Nanango Race Results

Galway Hussler, on the outside (Kayla Barker) and Jack Be Lucky (William Galloway) battle it out in Race 2

Race 3 was decided by the narrowest of margins… Razor’s Magic (Girish Goomany) nosed out Law And Order (Paul Hamblin)

Race 1 – Carrollee Hotel Ratings Band 0-55 Handicap (800m)
1. Late Night Talking (9) – Kayla Barker
2. Quartershare (5) – Nathan Fazackerley
3. Athol Mac (3) – Jess Emmerson
Time: 0:46.77
Margins: Short head x short half head

Race 2 – FTA Accountants Open Handicap (1000m)
1. Galway Hussler (2) – Kayla Barker
2. Jack Be Lucky (1) – William Galloway
3. Harbour Gold (5) – Kenji Yoshida
Time: 0:58.08
Margins: Short half head x long neck

Race 3 – Worthy Cause QTIS Maiden Plate (sponsored by Clear Mountain Fairview) (1200m)
1. Razor’s Magic (10) – Girish Goomany
2. Law And Order (5) – Paul Hamblin
3. Dracarian (2) – Jess Emmerson
Time: 1:11.67
Margins: Nose x half length

Race 4 – G3 Engineering Ratings Band 0-50 Handicap (1200m)
1. King Of The Vibe (1) – Chris Taylor
2. Grandeur Rose (7) – Steph Tierney
3. Babalola (4) – Nathan Fazackerley
Time: 1:10.72
Margins: 4 1/2 lengths x long neck

Race 5 – Eddie Hancock 90th Birthday Celebration Ratings Band 0-50 Handicap (1200m)
1. Merchant Moon (2) – Jess Emmerson
2. Letters Of Romance (9) – Isabel Jessop
3. Launch Sequence (4) – Paul Hamblin
Time: 1:11.96
Margins: 3/4 length x head

Race 6 – Jackson Fitzroy Hotel Nanango Cup Open Handicap (1600m)
1. Grinzinger Knight (1) – Jess Emmerson
2. Ariat (4) – Reece O’Connell
3. Bit Of The Blarney (7) – Hannah Richardson
Time: 1:33.94 – track record time
Margins:4 lengths x 1/2 head