{"id":374930,"date":"2026-08-12T17:48:32","date_gmt":"2026-08-12T07:48:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/?p=374930"},"modified":"2026-08-12T17:53:26","modified_gmt":"2026-08-12T07:53:26","slug":"nanango-turns-up-the-heat","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/2026\/08\/12\/nanango-turns-up-the-heat\/","title":{"rendered":"Nanango Turns Up The Heat"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/a>
Nanango residents Pam Gardner, Sam Hill and Becky Gassman were enjoying a day at the races<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

August 12, 2026<\/strong><\/p>\n

The weather gods smiled this year for Nanango’s annual Cup Day races on Saturday at the Lee Park racecourse.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

The eight-year-old gelding set a new track record, breaking a time which had stood since 2008.\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

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

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.<\/p>\n

Taabinga State School P&C was triumphant, winning the top cash prize.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Jenna Williams and Tim Enstrom, from Nanango, were relaxing near the canteen<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Fashions of the Field judges Jayne McKenzie and Neva Hallam surveyed the entrants<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Crowds lined the fence to watch the winner of the Nanango Cup, Grinzinger Knight, come back to scale<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
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<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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

Sportsbet Relay Race<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

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.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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

Each runner had to carry a small trophy filled with milk, trying hard not to spill anything.<\/p>\n

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).<\/p>\n

Taabinga took home the first prize ($1500), followed by Coolabunia ($1000), Crawford ($800) and Nanango ($700).<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
The winning foot race team … Team 4, from Taabinga State School<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
And the race starts …\u00a0 Team 1 (Crawford) took an early lead but were beaten home by Team 4 (Taabinga)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Some of the mid-race action …. the competitors were trying hard not spill the milk<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
South Burnett Mayor Kathy Duff with the competitors in the Sportsbet foot race<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

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

Fashions Of The Field<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

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.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
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<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
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<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Local Lady competition …. runner-up Bec Gill, Nanango; and winner Roz Frohloff, Nanango<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Junior competition: Under 6s runner-up Amelia and winner Maverick; Over 6s winner Addilyn and runner-up William<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
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<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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

The State Government has announced plans to expand the popular “Battle of the Bush” series.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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

A new 1500m middle-distance series will also be introduced, with heats carrying $15,000 in prize money.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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

Nanango Race Results<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Galway Hussler, on the outside (Kayla Barker) and Jack Be Lucky (William Galloway) battle it out in Race 2<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Race 3 was decided by the narrowest of margins… Razor’s Magic (Girish Goomany) nosed out Law And Order (Paul Hamblin)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Race 1 \u2013 Carrollee Hotel Ratings Band 0-55 Handicap (800m)
\n<\/strong>1. Late Night Talking (9)\u00a0 \u2013 Kayla Barker
\n2. Quartershare (5) \u2013 Nathan Fazackerley
\n3. Athol Mac (3) \u2013 Jess Emmerson
\nTime:\u00a0 0:46.77
\nMargins: Short head x short half head<\/p>\n

Race 2 \u2013 FTA Accountants Open Handicap (1000m)
\n<\/strong>1. Galway Hussler (2) \u2013 Kayla Barker
\n2. Jack Be Lucky (1) \u2013 William Galloway
\n3. Harbour Gold (5) \u2013 Kenji Yoshida
\nTime: 0:58.08
\nMargins: Short half head x long neck<\/p>\n

Race 3 \u2013 Worthy Cause QTIS Maiden Plate (sponsored by Clear Mountain Fairview) (1200m)
\n<\/strong>1. Razor’s Magic (10) \u2013 Girish Goomany
\n2. Law And Order (5) \u2013 Paul Hamblin
\n3. Dracarian (2) \u2013 Jess Emmerson
\nTime: 1:11.67
\nMargins: Nose x half length<\/p>\n

Race 4 \u2013 G3 Engineering Ratings Band 0-50 Handicap (1200m)
\n<\/strong>1. King Of The Vibe (1) \u2013 Chris Taylor
\n2. Grandeur Rose (7) \u2013 Steph Tierney
\n3. Babalola (4) \u2013 Nathan Fazackerley
\nTime: 1:10.72
\nMargins: 4 1\/2 lengths x long neck<\/p>\n

Race 5 \u2013 Eddie Hancock 90th Birthday Celebration Ratings Band 0-50 Handicap (1200m)
\n<\/strong>1. Merchant Moon (2) \u2013 Jess Emmerson
\n2. Letters Of Romance (9) \u2013 Isabel Jessop
\n3. Launch Sequence (4) \u2013 Paul Hamblin
\nTime: 1:11.96
\nMargins: 3\/4 length x head<\/p>\n

Race 6 \u2013 Jackson Fitzroy Hotel Nanango Cup Open Handicap (1600m)
\n<\/strong>1. Grinzinger Knight (1) \u2013 Jess Emmerson
\n2. Ariat (4) \u2013 Reece O\u2019Connell
\n3. Bit Of The Blarney (7) \u2013 Hannah Richardson
\nTime: 1:33.94 – track record time<\/strong>
\nMargins:4 lengths x 1\/2 head<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Top weight Grinzinger Knight, with Jess Emmerson aboard, cruises to the line to take out the Nanango Cup<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Nanango Race Club’s Zac Dennien with the connections of Nanango Cup winner Grinzinger Knight, jockey Jess Emmerson and race sponsors<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The weather gods smiled this year for Nanango’s annual Cup Day races on Saturday at the Lee Park racecourse.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":20,"featured_media":374964,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1901,3,58,6],"tags":[30,1136],"yoast_head":"\nNanango Turns Up The Heat - southburnett.com.au<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The weather gods smiled this year for Nanango's annual Cup Day races on Saturday at the Lee Park racecourse.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/2026\/08\/12\/nanango-turns-up-the-heat\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Nanango Turns Up The Heat - southburnett.com.au\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The weather gods smiled this year for Nanango's annual Cup Day races on Saturday at the Lee Park racecourse.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/2026\/08\/12\/nanango-turns-up-the-heat\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"southburnett.com.au\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-08-12T07:48:32+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-08-12T07:53:26+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/20260808nanango1.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"740\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"460\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Anne Miller\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Anne Miller\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"9 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/2026\/08\/12\/nanango-turns-up-the-heat\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/2026\/08\/12\/nanango-turns-up-the-heat\/\",\"name\":\"Nanango Turns Up The Heat - 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