Saloon Bar led home an Oakland Park quinella when notching an overdue black-type victory in the LR Farnley Stakes (1400m) at Belmont on Saturday.
He stalked fellow Oakland Park homebred Triple Jay (Street Boss) and took the length of the straight to collar the odds-on favourite. Ginger Baker (Gingerbread Man) flew for third to go one better than a fourth-placed finish in the 2023 edition of the Farnley won by Searchin’ Roc’s.
Saloon Bar (5g Sessions – Paris Cracker by Viscount) is the 4th Stakes winner by Oakland Park sire Sessions (Lonhro) and it increased his earnings to $672,000 including $120,800 in Westspeed bonuses. The Sessions – Viscount cross has a 100% strike-rate with 7 to the races.
“I’ve been in his corner the whole time but he’s a very hard horse to catch,” trainer Dan Morton admitted. “I love him and he’s a beauty. Steven (Parnham) has a good affiliation with the horse and that’s the best he’s ever travelled in running.”
Saloon Bar (Photo / Western Racepix) had just missed a place when commencing his current prep in $350,000 Bluff Knoll (1099m) at Albany in March but he did earn minor black-type in the LR Bolton Sprint and LR Belmont Newmarket in July – August.
“That was well deserved,” Parnham told The West Australian. “I was happy just to sit on Triple Jay and rate my horse from there. We were within touch and started to bridge the gap at the 200m to nail him on the line.”
Oakland Park has bred numerous winners from the family since buying NZ-bred mare Nitrate (Paris House) for $6,000 from Widden Stud (as agent) at the 2003 Magic Millions National Sale. She was carrying Paris Petard (Mujahid) who won a Group 3 in the 2006 WA Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m).
Paris Petard foaled Saloon Bar’s dam Paris Cracker first-up at stud and was subsequently sold to Cape Falls Thoroughbreds owner Brett Fogarty for $100,000 at the 2011 Perth Magic Millions Autumn Sale.
Sessions (Lonhro) went to the top of the WA Sires’ live ladder on Saturday for stallions eligible for the 2024-25 Premiership with earnings over $400,000.
Oakland Park stands Sessions for $8,800 alongside newcomer Ingratiating ($9,000) and Shooting To Win ($9,900). All fees (inc GST). For bookings or further information, call Neville Duncan (0417 200 097) or stud manager Adrian Brown (0438 944 299).
