Neville Parnham’s star Blackfriars colt Playing God maintained his impeccable form this preparation scoring his third successive stakes win at Ascot on Saturday with a dominant victory in the $500,000 Group 1 Kingston Town Classic (1800m).
Three-year-old Playing God was backing up from his wins in the Group 2 WA Guineas (1800m) and Listed Aquanita Stakes (1800m) in the 2010 Kingston Town Classic, and in a win for the favourite backers he stepped up to the challenge of a Group 1 showdown in fine style.
Going out as the clear $3.10 favourite, Playing God was ridden to perfection by Parnham’s son and ran home to defeat a fast finishing Impressive Jeuney ($12) by half a length with Sydney raider Trusting ($6) improving greatly from their last start sixth in the Railway Stakes to claim third place a further three quarters of a length back.
It was a big run from Darren McAuliffe’s mare Impressive Jeuney who lead up until the final strides when Playing God chased her down and the two fought it out in a gripping battle down the straight before Playing God pulled away for the win.
Beaten Railway Stakes favourite Colour Correct ($10) was not disgraced finishing fourth, just ahead of Ranger ($16) coming from last into fifth place.
Last year’s runner-up and older full brother to winner Playing God, God Has Spoken failed to impress coming in eighth while Famous Roman was the other disappointment on the day, the $5.50 second elect beating home just two other runners.
The victory was a milestone for champion local trainer Neville Parnham, his first Group 1 victory from a glittering career.
Playing God, purchased for $27,000 at last year’s Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale, has now won five of his nine career starts for an impressive $636,200 in prize money and will be sent to the paddock for a well deserved spell before any firm plans for the future were made.
Impressive Jeuney’s brave performance has connections looking towards the Group 2 Perth Cup (2400m) on New Year’s Day.
With the Festival of Perth Racing and the Group 1 features over for another season, there are still plenty of top class summer races to enjoy a punt on.
The next Group race showdown at Ascot is the Group 3 AJ Scahill Stakes (1400m) this Saturday December 11, so get ready for the action by signing up with Australia’s best online bookie Luxbet today!
2010 Kingston Town Classic Results & Finishing Order
| Place | Horse | Jockey | Trainer | Margin | SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | PLAYING GOD | Steven Parhnam | Neville Parnham | 1:48.98 | $3.10F |
| 2 | IMPRESSIVE JEUNEY | Shaun O’Donnell | Darren McAuliffe | 1/2 L | $12 |
| 3 | TRUSTING | James Winks | John P Thompson | 1 1/4 L | $6 |
| 4 | COLOUR CORRECT | Paul Harvey | Ross & Clint Price | 1 1/2 L | $10 |
| 5 | RANGER | William Pike | Grant Williams | 2 1/2 L | $16 |
| 6 | TRIPLE HONOUR (NZ) | Damien Oliver | Chris Waller | 3 L | $21 |
| 7 | MA CHIENNE | Peter Hall | Adam Durrant | 3 L | $20 |
| 8 | GOD HAS SPOKEN | Brad Parnham | Neville Parnham | 3 1/4 L | $14 |
| 9 | BLACK PIRANHA | Daniel Ganderton | Con Karakatsanis | 3 1/2 L | $16 |
| 10 | TRANQUILITY | Alan Kennedy | Grant Williams | 3 1/2 L | $21 |
| 11 | FAMOUS ROMAN | Jason Brown | Jim Taylor | 4 3/4 L | $5.50 |
| 12 | GRAND NIRVANA | Daniel Staeck | Fred Kersley | 5 3/4 L | $16 |
| 13 | GONDORFF (NZ) | Troy Turner | Mike Powell | 20 L | $51 |
| SCR | ALMOHAD | - | Lou Luciani | - | - |
| SCR | LUEN YAT FOREVER | - | Pou Choi | - | - |
| SCR | ADMIRING | - | Michael Grant | - | - |
