Playing God is already a dominant force in Perth and it’s only matter of time before his stock begin making an impact in other jurisdictions.
The Darling View Thoroughbreds resident has sired 125 individual winners in his first five crops and 21 of them have earned black-type led by Group 1 Kingston Town Classic heroine Kay Cee. That was reflected at last month’s Perth Magic Millions Yearling Sale with turnover of $2.50 million at an average of $119,286.
Those figures put him in another ball-park compared to other WA-based stallions and his Swan Valley consignment of 22 yearlings found new homes at a 95% clearance-rate.
“He’s going super and we can’t wait to see more of them hit the east coast and internationally,” Darling View’s Brent Atwell said. “He’s had six more Stakes-winners than any other WA stallion over the last 24 months and some of the agents have been talking about Hong Kong and getting a few up there.”
Playing God is also doing the job at ground level with money-spinners like the Steve Wolfe-trained Currimundi. He was an Albany maiden winner twelve months ago and last Saturday’s victory in the TABtouch Hcp (1600m) at Ascot sent his 14-start career earnings to $226,000 including Westspeed Bonuses of $94,000.
Currimundi (Photo / Western Racepix) saved ground under Shaun McGruddy and then seized a gap in the straight to overhaul Mountain Ash (Safeguard).
He had won at Ascot a month ago but wasn’t sighted when backing up at Pinjarra a fortnight ago.
“It was a hot day at Pinjarra and he must have been flat after Ascot,” Wolfe said. “I took him back to Albany and freshened him up at the beach. The environment down there makes it the best place to train horses. The drop back from 2000m to a mile also helped today.”
His older half-brother The Spruiker (I’m All The Talk) is a stablemate and races for the same connections earning $657,000 to date with Westspeed Bonuses of $245,100. Wolfe bred both gallopers and they are the only foals from his Belmont-winning NZ-bred mare Pins Perhaps (Pins).
Ex Sport Man is another Playing God stablemate knocking on the door after being caught late by Western Knight (NZ) in the Vale Jack Sheedy Hcp (1400m) last Saturday. He was Champion WA 2YO for Wolfe in 2021 following wins in the G2 Karrakatta Plate and RL Magic Millions 2YO Classic.
