Playing God’s domination of Perth’s locally-bred 3yo division was evident again in the LR Fairetha Stakes (1400m) at Ascot on Saturday.
Investmentstrategy (Photo / Western Racepix) provided the Darling View Thoroughbreds resident with his 14th individual Stakes winner and a six-figure payday to increase his lead for this season’s WA sires’ premiership.
The Neville Parnham-trained colt defeated Rope Them In (Playing God) and A Lot Of Good Men (A Lot) by over a length with the winner’s stablemate Zipaway (Playing God) flying home from last for an eye-catching fourth.
Investmentstrategy (3c Playing God – World Class by Manhattan Rain) had won at Belmont and Ascot in March before signing off his juvenile season with a Group 3 placing in the WATC Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m).
He was runner-up to Zipaway first-up last month and made the necessary improvement to control Saturday’s final prelim for the G2 WA Guineas (1600m) in a fortnight.
Investmentstrategy followed front-runner Moorditj Boy (Dissident) before going clear for Brad Parnham in the straight. “He’s a gross colt and will improve again into the Guineas,” Parnham snr said. “He’s a fighter and will run a mile. When Brad presses the button, he keeps lifting.”
Parnham snr did offer one proviso when previewing the $500,000 WA Guineas. “If Zipaway draws a barrier, he will win!”
Brad Parnham has been aboard Investmentstrategy in every one of his six starts and five trials. “He’s not interested in trackwork and wasn’t quite fit enough first-up. But he dropped 4kg today and put them to bed after going a decent clip.
“He will settle on the speed in the Guineas and will take catching.”
Investmentstrategy was bred by the late Dick Vincent at De Grey Park from World Class who was a $30,000 buy for John Chalmers (as agent) at the 2018 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale on the Gold Coast.
World Class is now owned by Tony Patrizi (Greenfields Lodge) and he sold her Long Leaf filly for $130,000 to Simon Miller at this year’s Perth Magic Millions Yearling Sale. She has been named Diamond Dancer.
Playing God (Blackfriars) is the reigning Champion Sire of WA and stands for a $33,000 fee at Darling View Thoroughbreds with Splintex ($11,000) and newcomer Lightsaber ($6,600). Service fees (inc GST).
