The Neville Parnham trained Playing God remains on track to win his third Kingston Town Classic after drawing favourably in the Festival Of Perth Racing’s feature weight for age race at Ascot on Saturday.
Playing God has drawn barrier 7 for the Kingston Town Classic. Photo by: Taron Clarke
Playing God came up with gate seven at the barrier draw in a field of sixteen plus one emergency for the Group 1 $500,000 GR Engineering Kingston Town Classic (1800m) and jockey Steven Parnham will give the five year old a perfect run from the good gate.
Playinng God has made this race his own the last two years and Parnham thinks he has the dual Group 1 winner primed to make it three in a row after showing glimpses of his best form when fourth to Mr Moet in the Group 1 $1m Carlton Draught-Railway Stakes (1600m) at Ascot on November 24.
Parnham took Playing God to Melbourne during the Spring Carnival and gave him one run in the Group 1 $1m Emirates Stakes(1600m) at Flemington on November 10 where he finished fourteenth to Happy Trails after being badly held up for a run on the home turn.
Even though Parnham would have liked to have Playing God back in Perth a bit earlier, the entire showed in the Railway Stakes that he had taken no harm from his trip to Melbourne and will be spot on to try to win his first race since taking out the Kingston Town Classic last year.
“I wish I had Playing God home a week earlier,” Parnham said.
“He has been going to the beach each day and is thriving.”
Stablemate and older brother God Has Spoken also came up with a good barrier at three and Parnham is also looking for a good performance from the six year old year.
“God Has Spoken has won the Cox Stakes and Strickland Stakes at two of his past three starts at WFA. The weight won’t worry him,” Parnham said.
Local favourite Luckygray remains at the top of the betting at $2.70 after drawing barrier 4 and will be hard to beat back to weight for age conditions.
The Gino Poletti five year old scored first up in the WFA Group 2 $200,000 Waroa-Lee Steere Stakes (1400m) at Ascot on November 10 before charging home late from well back on the home turn to run second to Mr Moet in the Railway Stakes.
Mr Moet has come up with the inside gate and no doubt will be in the mix again after pulling off a massive plunge in winning the Railway Stakes first up while old stager Wall Street’s job has been made tough after drawing off the track at thirteen.
Top carnival jockey Glen Boss will give the only filly in the race, Fuddle Dee Duddle, a good run from barrier two after picking up the ride during the week.
Boss has already made a successful trip to the west for this year’s Festival Of Perth Racing and as well as saluting on Peggie’s Dream in the Listed $80,000 Carlton Dry-Jungle Mist Classic (1200m) at Ascot on November 24, finished third on Rosie Rocket behind Mr Moet in the Railway Stakes on the same day.
And he was also runner up on Starlight Lady in the Listed $80,000 Tattersall’s Cup (2100m).
Playing God remains the second favourite at $6 behind Luckygray with the Grant Williams trained Ranger at $9 and Railway Stakes winner Mr Moet at $12 along with Fuddlee Dee Duddle.
The Mike Moroney trained Wall Street is next in line at $13 with Rosie Rocket.
