Neville Parnham has form with the family of Diamond Command who won the Peninsula Dining Room Hcp (1400m) at Belmont on Wednesday.
Diamond Command was given a peach of a ride and that ensured the burden of 60kg wasn’t a gut-buster under Brad Parnham. She loomed up to the leaders and let down to defeat Angel’s My Name (God Has Spoken) and Miss Ava (NZ) by two lengths.
Parnham trained her sire Rommel, her dam Weona Lady (Lonhro) and her older sister Ultimate Command who was Rommel’s first winner back in December 2020. Since that breakthrough, Parnham has prepared the winners of 19 races by Rommel.
“She was always going to be hard to beat after landing in a perfect position,” Parnham said. “But it was still a fine effort for a 3yo filly to carry that weight. I expected better earlier in her career but she seems to be putting it all together now.”
Diamond Command (Photo / Western Racepix) was sold as a foal for $1,750 at the Inglis 2020 April Online Sale by Mogumber Park (as agent) for Ridgeport Holdings breeder Santo Guagliardo.
She is raced by Neville and Carol Parnham and Brad’s partner Sarah Williamson.
Wednesday’s win sent her earnings to $145,878 boosted by $61,600 in bonuses from Westspeed. “I sat four deep on her last time and if I did that again they probably would have sacked me!” Brad said back in the enclosure.
“That meant there was a bit of pressure today but we got a good run and she put them away.”
Ascot trainer Paul Jordan bid $62,500 to buy Diamond Command’s yearling full-brother at this year’s Perth Magic Millions. He was offered by Mogumber Park (as agent) for Kirsty Hanley.
Rommel (Commands) will cover his first book as foundation stallion at Guagliardo’s Ridgeport Farm in Waroona this year. He will stand for a $6,600 (inc GST) service fee after siring 36 individual winners at a 71% strike-rate from his first two books at Mogumber Park.
