{"id":251632,"date":"2020-01-28T13:13:05","date_gmt":"2020-01-28T03:13:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/?p=251632"},"modified":"2020-07-13T12:09:46","modified_gmt":"2020-07-13T02:09:46","slug":"a-flying-start-to-2020","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/2020\/01\/28\/a-flying-start-to-2020\/","title":{"rendered":"A Flying Start To 2020"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The New Year will ring in lots of fun at the South Burnett’s race tracks<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\"Gunsynd's<\/a>January 28, 2020<\/strong><\/p>\n

Several South Burnett players have kicked off the calendar year in winning style.<\/strong><\/p>\n

At Thangool on Saturday, Hannah Phillips booted home Stick With Me and Glam Rock for her father Barry.<\/p>\n

Phillips also signed off 2019 delightfully by landing a double at Taroom on December 28.<\/p>\n

Hannah English also closed out the year well.<\/p>\n

In mid-December, she scored for Lindsay Anderson at Dalby with Momentum Glory and posted a Chinchilla double before recording a victory at Emerald on New Year\u2019s Eve.<\/p>\n

English has since prevailed at Rockhampton and Calliope and twice at Dalby during her January working days at ten different tracks.<\/p>\n

On Australia Day at Kilcoy she was just edged out on Black Envy, Glenn Richardson\u2019s charge, and finished a tidy second on Scarlett\u2019s Choice, the handy Choisir mare that Neville \u201cShorty\u201d O\u2019Toole has saddled up 17 times for an admirably consistent 3-7-3-2 form line.<\/p>\n

The Richardson-English combination also dipped out by the barest possible margin with Mr Noddy at Calliope, but did have room to spare when Eight Over saluted in the very next contest.<\/p>\n

The other success story was After The Storm (Hannah English) for the Kym Afford stable at Dalby on January 14.<\/p>\n

Hannah Phillips and, more recently, Hannah English have completed their indentures.<\/p>\n

They are wonderful ambassadresses because of their talent, professionalism, dedication, high levels of industry and a commendable willingness to travel.<\/p>\n

They both have their feet on the ground and deserve the rewards that have come their way.<\/p>\n

Incidentally, there have been a lower number of Saturday country meetings this month.<\/p>\n

Bell was cancelled because the track was considered unsuitable, and the only two programs state-wide on January 18 were the Gold Coast wash-out and Eagle Farm.<\/p>\n

Given the intensity during the other eleven months, a bit of a breather during January has its merits.<\/p>\n

* * *<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Changes To Key Series Program<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Six new venues will participate in the 2020 TAB Battle of the Bush Series.<\/strong><\/p>\n

In the Burnett, Burrandowan (on May 9) and Gayndah (June 6) get a turn at the expense of Nanango and Bundaberg.<\/p>\n

Emerald returns to the roster in lieu of Thangool while Quilpie (for Cunnamulla), Charters Towers (Home Hill), Jandowae (Warwick) and Innisfail (Mareeba) are the other alterations.<\/p>\n

The $125,000 Final will again be decided on Tattersall\u2019s Tiara Raceday at Eagle Farm on Saturday, June 20.<\/p>\n

As no reasons have been given for the modifications, it seems likely that they have been made to give more clubs an opportunity to be involved.<\/p>\n

If that is the case, there need to be regular adjustments to spread the future offerings.<\/p>\n

Surely clubs that will have presented a heat in all the series from 2108-2020 inclusive should be subjected to rolling replacements.<\/p>\n

In 2019, the qualifiers were conducted from April 20 to June 8.<\/p>\n

During that time span, the likes of Wondai, Mount Garnett, Gregory Downs, Hughenden, Tambo, Bluff-Blackwater and Aramac operated meetings and so were eligible for selection.<\/p>\n

Gympie, Eidsvold, Esk and Monto, Mount Perry and Kumbia were the south eastern non-TABs that did not host programs in the established time frame.<\/p>\n

* * *<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Nanango Will Soon Turn Pink<\/strong><\/h3>\n

It\u2019s an odds on bet that a day out at Lee Park is the perfect Valentine\u2019s Day gift. <\/strong><\/p>\n

The upcoming Pink, Pink and More Pink race day is set down for Saturday, February 15.<\/p>\n

As well as being St Valentine\u2019s Day, Friday February 14 is also the anniversary of Australia\u2019s replacement of pounds, shillings and pence by dollars and cents in 1966.<\/p>\n

That is an excuse to spend up big even though a Lee Park outing is not expensive.<\/p>\n

Other South Burnett race dates to June 30 to mark up are Nanango (Easter Saturday, April 11 and Saturday, May 23); Wondai (Anzac Day, Saturday April 25); and Burrandowan (Saturday, May 9).<\/p>\n

May your vision for 2020 be realised!<\/p>\n