Entries Taken For Perth Cup

Wednesday, 08 December 2010 02:45

Almost 50 nominations were received for the Perth Cup when entries closed this week.

The 2400-metre staying feature has attracted 49 stayers, including an interstate representation spearheaded by three horses from Chris Waller's all-conquering Sydney stable.

Waller has entered Triple Honour, Strike One and Beijing Boy although the latter two are unlikely to make the trip west to join their stablemate who has been campaigning in Perth.

Other interstate entries for the Group Two race include this year's Adelaide Cup winner, the Patrick Payne-trained Capecover.

Leading Melbourne trainer Peter Moody has entered Ishant while Fast Future, a placegetter in last month's Canberra Cup, is also nominated.

Local entries are headed by Colour Correct and Impressive Jeuney.

Worth $400,000 in stakes, the Perth Cup will be run at Ascot on New Year's day.

The C B Cox Stakes, a traditional Perth Cup lead-up race run at Group Two level over 2100m on Saturday week, has an entry of 27.

Kingston Town Classic: Final Field & Barriers

Wednesday, 01 December 2010 04:17

Dual Group One Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) winner Black Piranha has drawn kindly for this Saturday’s $500,000 Group One GR Kingston Town Classic (1800m) at Ascot.

To be ridden by Daniel Ganderton, Black Piranha will begin from barrier five.

Aside from his two victories in the Stradbroke Handicap, Black Piranha’s last win was recorded in the Listed Sunshine Coast Cup (1400m) in January 2009.

Meanwhile other interstate visitors were less fortunate with Trusting (barrier 12) and Triple Honour (barrier 15) drawing wide.

God Has Spoken (barrier two) is the best drawn of the leading local hopes while Ranger (barrier four) and Grand Nirvana (barrier seven) have strong claims.

Macau galloper Luen Yat Forever is unexpected to run in the race and likely to be scratched.

Below is the final field and barriers for the Kingston Town Classic.

Ascot (Saturday)

Race 7 @ 4pm (WA Time) - $500,000 Group 1 GR Engineering Kingston Town Classic (1800m)

Picture: Ross Stevenson

Playing God Wins Kingston Town Stakes

Saturday, 04 December 2010 09:15

Local three-year-old Playing God has given veteran Perth trainer Neville Parnham an overdue Group One victory in the Kingston Town Stakes at Ascot.

The win was a Parnham family affair with Neville's son Steven guiding Playing God to a stirring win over Impressive Jeuney in the 1800m feature, the last Australian Group One race of the year.

Although Neville Parnham has trained a host of big-race winners, victory at the highest level had eluded him until Saturday.

"It's a great thrill obviously and to share it with my son as well it's great," Parnham said.

Playing God was sent out the $3.10 favourite based on his win in last week's Aquanita Stakes and Steven Parnham rode him aggressively, keeping in touch with Impressive Jeuney parked one-out one-back.

Playing God moved up to Impressive Jeuney ($12) in the straight but the mare proved hard to get past and Parnham had to get busy on the colt inside the final 100 metres.

Eventually he prevailed by a half length with Trusting ($6) running on for third three-quarters of a length away.

"We had a plan prior to the race and we were expecting Impressive Jeuney to go forward," Neville Parnham said.

"We knew we had to be positive and get into that one-one trail. It's been a busy week but we thought we could win it.

"Impressive Jeuney was the danger. Those sorts of horses are hard to get past, I gave her a great chance.

I think he's a pretty special horse."

The Parnhams are steeped in West Australian racing history and 25-year-old Steven Parnham is a fourth generation jockey.

"It's an amazing feeling, I can't describe it," he said.

"It's unbelievable, it's a dream and to do it for Dad, it's the ultimate.

"I rode him positive - I needed a bit of luck to get the spot I did and it worked out beautiful.

"I had that lovely run and was able to put him in race at right time.

"Impressive Jeuney is very tough and she didn't give up.

Playing God will now go for a spell while Impressive Jeuney, winner of the WA Oaks earlier this year, is the nominal favourite for the Group Two Perth Cup on New Year's Day.

Macau Champ Heads To Perth

Tuesday, 30 November 2010 06:45

Macau's best galloper Luen Yat Forever is a final acceptor for the Kingston Town Classic (1800m) in Perth.

A triple Group One winner in his homeland, Luen Yat Forever posted two Group One fourths over 1600 metres in both the Toorak Handicap and Emirates Stakes during the Melbourne spring carnival.

The five-year-old also contested the Cox Plate but finished last.

He heads to Perth for Saturday's Group One assignment after finishing fifth to Larry's Never Late in the Group Three Sandown Stakes (1500m) on November 13.

TAB Sportsbet has opened him on the sixth line of betting at $12 for the Kingston Town.

Group Two WA Guineas winner Playing God, who also scored a stunning victory in last Saturday's Listed Aquanita Stakes (1800m) at Ascot, is a clear $4.40 favourite.

The three-year-old will clash with his four-year-old brother God Has Spoken ($8.50) while Famous Roman separates the siblings in the market at $7.50.

Neville Parnham trains both Playing God and God Has Spoken who are by Blackfriars from the Rubiton mare Dolly Will Do.

God Has Spoken won the Group Three Peters Stakes (1500m) before his last start eighth in the Group One Railway Stakes (1600m).

Famous Roman won the Listed Northerly Stakes (1400m) and Group Three Lee Steere Stakes (1400m) and was second in the Railway.

The barrier draw for the weight-for-age race will be released on Wednesday.

Picture: Sportpix

Admiring Out Of Kingston Town Classic

Friday, 03 December 2010 08:05

Admiring has been scratched from tomorrow’s Group One $500,000 GR Engineering Kingston Town Classic (1800m) at Ascot.

Trainer Michael Grant made the decision to withdraw the five-year-old mare after she lost some skin when finishing twelfth in the Listed Jungle Mist Stakes (1200m) on November 13.

Last Saturday, Admiring won a Open Handicap over a mile but Grant is keen to treat the injury before targeting the Listed Starstruck Stakes (1600m) at Ascot next Saturday.

Admiring is the third horse to be scratched from the Kingston Town Classic following the earlier withdraws of Luen Yat Forever and Almohad.

Three-year-old Playing God is currently a $3.90 favourite with TAB Sportsbet.

Boasting a record of four wins and two placings from eight starts, Playing God has won his past two starts – the Group 2 WA Guineas (1600m) and Listed Aquanita Stakes (1800m).

Should Playing God win the Kingston Town Classic, it’d be the first time leading West Australian trainer Neville Parnham has trained a Group 1 winner.

Kingston Town Classic (1800m)

Market: TAB Sportsbet

$3.90 Playing God

$7 Famous Roman

$8.50 Impressive Journey

$9 Trusting

$9.50 Colour Correct

Oliver's Faith A Boost For Sydney Trainer

Monday, 29 November 2010 05:45

Chris Waller has been encouraged by Damien Oliver's decision to stick with Triple Honour in Saturday's Kingston Town Classic in Perth after his last start disappointment.

Triple Honour beat just one runner home in his first West Australian start in the Railway Stakes (1600m) but his Sydney trainer said he would give him a chance at another Group One this week.

"On face value it was disappointing," Waller said.

"But the race was run at a slow tempo which didn't suit him and the step up to 1800 metres is in his favour.

"And Damien is keen to stick with him which gives me confidence he can do better."

Fellow Sydney horse Black Piranha also failed in the Railway with his jockey Daniel Ganderton also citing the tempo as a reason.

"It wasn't an outstanding run but I think the run was better than what it looked," Ganderton said.

"The way the race was run, there was no pace, he was given no chance with his big weight (58.5kg)."

With Railway winner Gathering out of the Kingston Town, emerging local star Playing God was installed as favourite following his comprehensive win over his fellow three-year-olds in Saturday's Aquanita Stakes (1800m).

He will clash with his year older full brother God Has Spoken.

Playing God has built an impressive record of four wins and two placings from just eight starts for earnings of more than $309,000.

"They'll both run and both will be excellent chances," trainer Neville Parnham told perthracing.com.au.

"Obviously the three-year-old with the (light) weight he will be carrying - he'll be the favourite (between the two).

"But at the end of the day it will be a good contest."

A field of 16 was declared ahead of Tuesday's barrier draw with Triple Honour and Black Piranha at $18 and $21 respectively with TAB Sportsbet.

Playing God was still the $4.60 favourite when betting re-opened on Monday.

Picture: Sportpix

Dual-gaited Trainer Chases Group One

Friday, 03 December 2010 07:15

Grant Williams is hoping to land Saturday's Group One Kingston Town Classic at Ascot with either Ranger or stablemate Tranquility - just six months after he started training for their owners Bob and Sandra Peters.

Williams, a successful WA harness racing trainer, turned his hand to conditioning thoroughbreds two years ago and said Peters had placed "10 or 12" horses in his stable.

"They are both horses on the way up and we are hoping," Williams said of the lightly-raced four-year-olds.

Ranger missed a run as an emergency in the Group One Railway Stakes (1600m) at Ascot on November 20 but fell in by a short-half-head at $1.50 to win a 1600m restricted event on the same day.

The lightly-raced Testa Rossa gelding has won two and placed in another five of his nine starts.

Only three starts back, Ranger broke through to win a 1303m maiden at Pinjarra before running a head second to God Has Spoken in the race named after his owner, the Group R J Peters Stakes (1500m) at Ascot.

Redoute's Choice mare Tranquility has won two and finished runner-up in three of eight starts and snuck into the field.

After winning a restricted 1200m race at Ascot when resuming on November 13, she was a 1-1/2 length second to Premardal in the Jungle Dawn Classic (1500m), the winner equalling a state record.

William Pike, fresh from his longshot win aboard Hadabeclorka in the Group Two Winterbottom Stakes, will ride Ranger while Alan Kennedy will pilot Tranquility.

"Willie had the pick of the two, but Ranger was always going to run in this race whereas it was sort of an afterthought with Tranquility because we didn't think she was going to get in but she did," Williams said.

"She's a very nice horse as well but the stable thought he (Pike) might stick with Ranger.

Williams said both horses were on their way to starts in the Group Two Perth Cup (2400m) on New Year's Day.

He said Ranger would go to the Group Two C B Cox Stakes (2100m) on December 18, while Tranquility would go through a mares race on her way to the Perth Cup.

Neville Parnham has a strong hand in the race with three-year-old Playing God and his four-year-old brother God Has Spoken who could give the 12-time Perth premiership winning trainer his first Group One success.

Group Two WA Guineas winner Playing God, who also scored a stunning victory in last Saturday's Listed Aquanita Stakes (1800m) at Ascot, has been backed from $4.60 into $3.90 favouritism with TAB Sportsbet.

Railway Stakes runner-up Famous Roman is at $7, Impressive Jeuney at $8.50, Trusting at $9, Colour Correct at $9.50 and God Has Spoken at $10.

Ranger is at $11 with Tranquility at $16.

Turnaround Anticipated By Black Piranha

Sunday, 28 November 2010 07:15

The conditions of Saturday's Group One Kingston Town Classic have jockey Daniel Ganderton optimistic of a turnaround performance from Black Piranha.

The Con Karakatsanis-trained Black Piranha could only manage to finish 12th of 16 in the Group One Railway Stakes (1600m) in his first Perth appearance but Ganderton believes it might pay to overlook that run.

"It wasn't an outstanding run but I think the run was better than what it looked," Ganderton said.

"The way the race was run, there was no pace, he was given no chance with his big weight (58.5kg)."

The Railway Stakes is a handicap event while the Kingston Town Classic at Ascot over 1800m is run under weight-for-age conditions.

"He meets them better at the weights and the Railway winner (Gathering) is out," Ganderton said.

"I think he'll turn in a much improved performance.

"He's the best performed horse in the race and the one most suited at weight-for-age."

The Railway on November 20 was Ganderton's first race ride on Black Piranha.

A winner of eight of his 52 starts including back-to-back Group One Stradbroke Handicaps, Black Piranha is a $21 chance in the Kingston Town with TAB Sportsbet.

Three-year-old Playing God, winner of the WA Guineas and Aquanita Stakes at his past two starts, heads the market at $5 ahead of Railway Stakes runner-up Famous Roman at $6.

Playing God's older brother God Has Spoken, a $7.50 chance, is the only other runner at single figure odds.

With Gathering out of the Kingston Town, Nathan Tinkler's Patinack Farm operation will rely on the enigmatic Trusting who finished sixth to his stablemate in the Railway.

Trusting has not won since he took out the weight-for-age Warwick Stakes as a three-year-old in August of 2009 but has performed well at the highest level, most recently with second placings in the Group One George Main Stakes and Epsom Handicap during the Sydney spring.

He was an $11 chance for the Kingston townwith TAB Sportsbet on Sunday.

Black Piranha To Strike

Thursday, 02 December 2010 06:59

Sydney trainer Con Karakatsanis says dual Stradbroke Handicap winner Black Piranha can regain his best form in the Group One Kingston Town Classic at Ascot.

Karakatsanis said the seven-year-old, who is unplaced in six runs this campaign, would appreciate the extra distance of Saturday's Perth feature after becoming a victim of a slow pace last start in the Railway Stakes (1600m).

Karakatsanis told Radio Sport 927 Black Piranha needed a genuine pace in his races to fire and if he got it in the Kingston Town (1800m) he could post his first win beyond 1500 metres.

"I was actually quite happy with his run (12th in the Railway) but the race wasn't run to suit him at any stage," Karakatsanis said.

"It makes it too hard to make up ten lengths on a slowly run pace with them running home with quick sectionals."

Karakatsanis said Black Piranha had come through the Railway in great order.

"He has put on about 10 kilos since the Railway which is quite pleasing," Karakatsanis said.

"He's done very well and I can't fault his work.

"He is rock hard fit and he is probably coming into this race a lot better than he did going into the Railway.

"The flight over was fine but the real hot weather leading into the Railway probably knocked him around a little bit."

Karakatsanis said Black Piranha should relish the 1800 metres and 2000 metres was potentially his best distance.

"His run at the other day showed me that he was a horse looking for that little bit of extra ground," Karakatsanis said.

"We planned this (race) two or three months ago but we haven't had a lot of luck along the way.

"He deserves to win one over the carnival and he's drawn perfectly (in barrier five) on Saturday.

Karakatsanis said Black Piranha would be ridden closer in the Kingston Town than he was in the Railway when Daniel Ganderton had to ease him back to avoid getting trapped out from a wide barrier.

"Daniel had no real option but to keep going back so he could slot in and he ended up back last in a slowly run race," Karakatsanis said.

"If he jumps well on Saturday he will probably be midfield and hopefully they can run along for him and he can get a bit of luck."

Hadabeclorka In Winterbottom Upset

Saturday, 27 November 2010 08:59

Hadabeclorka, the oldest horse in the race and who was a Perth Cup runner only 11 months ago, has staged a major upset to land the Group Two Winterbottom Stakes at Ascot.

Nine-year-old Hadabeclorka was beaten for early speed and third last turning for home but his jockey William Pike found all the shortcuts to drive the $41 chance home along the rails to score his biggest win by 1-1/4 lengths in the 1200m feature.

Melbourne Cup-winning jockey Gerald Mosse gave King Kool Kat ($11) a perfect ride but he could only finish second, three-quarters of a length ahead of favourite Whitefriars ($3.40), ridden by Damien Oliver.

Hadabeclorka's win was a fitting reward for Bunbury trainer Brent Larsson who never lost faith in the horse who was widely recognised as "non-genuine".

"I am speechless," Larsson said.

"It is just good to have a horse in a race of this quality and to win it is unbelievable.

"He has been a non-genuine horse and we have had trouble to get his mind on the job but we always knew he was quite capable.

"We have tried a lot of things with him to get him to switch on and tried to get him over ground but that option didn't work."

Relatively lightly raced with only 39 starts, Hadabeclorka posted his ninth win in the Winterbottom.

He has been a regular big-race performer in Perth but success was always elusive.

He ran fifth in the 2008 Winterbottom which Takeover Target won narrowly from Apache Cat, and last season was tried as stayer and finished second last in the 2010 Perth Cup ((2400m).

"He has always been around the mark in these sorts of races and I brought him back with this race in mind," Larsson said.

Last start Hadabeclorka was second-up when sixth in the Group Three Colonel Reeves (1100m) but his run wasn't viewed as good enough for him to threaten in the Winterbottom.

Pike said it was among his most satisfying wins.

"I have won Group Ones but this is right up there with them because of the quality of the opposition," Pike said.

"Not only do we have the quality horses but we have got the quality jockeys from overseas so it is a big thrill."

Pike said Hadabeclorka got a dream run at the right time.

"He was travelling really good but I was in a terrible position and going backwards and held up," Pike said.

"Then luckily everyone went searching for a run and I was the last one in line and went straight up the inside."