EAGLE FARM/ BALLINA/IPSWICH GREYHOUND PHOTOS.... Part 2

By Phil Purser

28/01/2010

Eagle Farm and Ballina photos Dan Costello

Linda Jones (far left of picture) - Pam O'Neill (centre) and Iris Nielsen were the three inaugural inductees into the Lady Jockeys Hall Of Fame at Ballina last Sunday. On the far right of picture, Iris Nielsen's daughter Rebecca represented her late mother at the ceremony.

This is the Iris Nielsen memorial plaque at Ballina Racecourse. Iris was tragically killed in a race fall at Lismore in 1988.

This greyhound is aptly named Minus Two Below, which I can assure you has nothing to do with the temperature. He was actually born without descended testicles, hence the name. Can the Dave Irwin trained greyhound gallop? Stick with me and we shall see.

Well yes he can gallop. This is him winning Race 6 at the Ipswich track on the Australia Day holiday on Tuesday. He was heavily backed to run the $1.60 favourite. In the white rug Maywyn Easy clocked in second, whilst in the yellow rug, Beltah Magic ran third.

Toowoomba based trainer Tony Gollan has been enjoying good success recently and he was photographed with Falvelina at Eagle Farm last Saturday, after they had combined to win Race 3. The filly was backed from $11 to run $9.

Toowoomba based trainer Richie Stephenson was photographed after the galloper he puts the polish on, Azzaland, had broken the 2005 track record of Noble Gent's.

This is a headshot of Azzaland laughing at the opposition he had just beaten in his track record breaking run. The gelding, by the little known sire Za-im, has now won 10 of his 17 starts for earnings of $212,700.

This is a file photo of Mackay based jockey Trinity Bannon, who was one of the female jockeys who cumulatively rode the TAB card at Rockhampton last Tuesday week. Trinity rode Race 1 winner, In Bold Fashion to victory at 20/1.

This is a file photo of Rockhampton's leading apprentice Alisha Taylor, taken at Callaghan Park racetrack just prior to her being licenced. This day she was strapping a horse for her father Garnet. Alisha rode a treble last Tuesday week in Rockhampton, scoring in consecutive races on County Sherrif ($4.60), Fire Hazard ($5.50) and Malicious Gal ($3.20). I'd like to see Alisha come to Brisbane during 2010 to try her luck in the big smoke.

Strapper Zoe Hall was photographed with Bugsytwoshoes after that galloper had won Race 5 at Eagle Farm last Saturday. Unfortunately the horse pulled up lame according to the stewards report.

Racecaller Wayne Wilson on RadioTAB each Friday morning does a preview of the following day's Brisbane races, which is sponsored by Mr Seafood at Hervey Bay. Whilst I was in the area the other day, I decided to photograph the business premises, as most RadioTAB listeners wouldn't get to see it in the normal course of their travels. What, by chance, does Justracing have up the road from Mr Seafood? Stay tuned and you shall see.

Justracing helps promote the three codes of racing all over the highways and byways of Queensland - and to that end has this billboard on the Hervey Bay/Maryborough Road, on the Maryborough side of Mr Seafood. The billboard gets relocated to the Bruce Highway at Childers at the end of the month.

En route to Hervey Bay I stopped and photographed the frontage of the 400-acre Leigh Wanless owned and operated Glenorchy Springs Stud, which is just south of Maryborough. At the stud Leigh stands both harness racing and thoroughbred stallions. What did he do before  this venture? Hang on, we'll see if we can find a photo for you.

Leigh Wanless was the former owner of this building, the Royal Hotel in Maryborough. He sold it to a Sydney based company a few years ago - and it is now closed - which seems a strange fate for a hotel that featured many poker machines within the complex. How do we know it is closed?

Well that's what the sign on the front door said the other day. It should be noted that the Motel attached to the premises still trades as normal.

When you live a long way from a greyhound track, you need to set up your own straight track, so that your dogs can have some fast work. This straight track is situated between Maryborough and Gympie at Tiaro, and is visable from the Bruce Highway.

Talking about the greyhounds, the 2009 Greyhound of the Year function will be held at this venue, Broncos Leagues Club, which is at Red Hill in Brisbane, on 27 February. The three finalists for the honour of Greyhound of the Year are, Queen Lauryn, Dashing Corsair and High Earner. Want to have a quick look inside Broncos?

When moving around in the Broncos Leagues Club, whilst  popping in for a social visit, or attending the upcoming Greyhound of the Year function, you can view some wonderful football memorabilia - just like this.

Plain Magic won the Listed Gold Nudgee Handicap at Eagle Farm last Saturday, earning $64,000 for her troubles - and giving her valuable black type for her future breeding career. The 4YO daughter of Magic Albert is owned by Brisbane Racing Club chairman Kevin Dixon and trained by Kelly Schweida. Pictured is Plain Magic who was strapped by Kelly Schweida's daughter Jodie.

Gold Coast trainer David Kelly landed a plunge when his galloper Giorgio won Race 7 at Eagle Farm last Saturday. The 4YO gelded son of the American stallion Bertolini is pictured airborne, as he hits the line, for winning jockey Stathi Katsidis.

If Norm Hilton hadn't been a racehorse trainer, he probably could have got a gig in a Hollywood western movie. This was him photographed "feeding the chooks" after his galloper Poor Judge had made it three wins in succession, by taking out the last race at Eagle Farm last Saturday, when heavily backed.