Darling View Thoroughbreds champion Playing God began ramping up his defence of the WA sires’ premiership when Alaskan won the Amelia Park Hcp (1800m) at Ascot on Saturday.
Alaskan (3g Playing God – Lady Alaska by Reset) was coming off a 1400m maiden victory at Bunbury on Australia Day and is on track to emulate his full-brother Alaskan God who won the WATC Derby (2400m) in 2022.
“After his work on Wednesday, I was supremely confident,” trainer Neville Parnham told The West Australian Newspaper. “This horse is very talented.” Winning jockey Craig Parnham was equally effusive after returning to scale. “Alaskan is absolutely untapped and could be a Derby horse.”
The G2 WATC Derby (2400m) worth $400,000 is scheduled for Saturday, April 13.
Alaskan (Photo / Western Racepix) graduated from the Willow Dale Farm consignment for $80,000 at the 2022 Perth Magic Millions and is raced by Parnham, his wife Carol, Santo Guagliardo and Paul Cooke.
Greenfields Lodge owner Tony Patrizzi has catalogued a Playing God – Lady Alaska yearling colt (Lot 96) for the Perth Magic Millions on February 22. The mare foaled another Playing God colt earlier this season and was bred back to him at Darling View in November.
Alaskan’s Playing God stablemates Bustler and Zipaway have been nominated for the Group 1 meeting at Caulfield this Saturday. Bustler will be coming off an eight-week break against a red-hot field in the $750,000 G1 C F Orr Stakes (1400m).
Zipaway hasn’t been seen since going down in a three-way photo-finish to Dom To Shoot and Zaaki in the G1 Northerly Stakes (1800m) on December 9. He has been entered for the $300,000 Autumn Stakes (1400m).
Neville Parnham is setting Bustler for the $3.65 million All-Star Mile (1600m) at Caulfield on March 16. The G1 Railway Stakes winner is currently quoted at $51 in pre-post markets by Ladbrokes.
The Orr Stakes is the fourth of eight ‘Win and You’re In’ races offering the winners a guaranteed start in the 16-horse All-Star field. The other positions in the weight-for-age event will be wildcards chosen by Racing Victoria and the Melbourne Racing Club.
The first three ‘Win and You’re In’ horses are Magic Time (Hellbent), Orchestral (Savabeel) and Desert Lightning (Pride Of Dubai).
Playing God ($4.65 million) goes into this weekend with a substantial lead over Universal Ruler ($1.91 million) for the 2023-24 WA Sires’ premiership.
