Playing God has gone straight for the jugular in pursuit of this season’s WA 2yo title and it didn’t hurt having the wins of his fillies Overdrive and Noahquintilly only sanctioned by stewards after protests at Belmont last week.
Overdrive was awarded the Amelia Park Plate (1000m) on Wednesday after officials relegated first past the post Mai Aloha (Long Leaf) for shifting ground in the straight and brushing Overdrive at the furlong.
Racing first-up since finishing fourth to Sinful Living (Safeguard) at Ascot on New Year’s Day, Overdrive is bred to go through the grades as a full-sister to Lordhelpmerun who was Playing God’s first black-type winner in the G3 WA Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) in April 2018.
She’s a homebred for Neville and Carol Parnham and they race her in partnership with Paul Cooke (Smartnet Investments). Parnham knows the family inside out having prepared Playing God as well as her dam Pure Heaven (Snippetson) and second-dam Magic Heaven (Magic Ring).
Noahquintilly (Pink silks / Photo: Western Racepix)
Playing God sired his fourth 2yo winner in June when Noahquintilly got the bob in a hectic photo-finish and then survived an objection after the Amelia Park Plate (1200m) on Saturday. After having difficulty gaining a clear run, she laid outwards at the 175m mark and contacted Elite Missile (Smart Missile).
Noahquintilly is trained by David Harrison for a partnership managed by Robin and Gail Humberston. She had finished fifth to Sinful Living (Safeguard) on a summer debut at Ascot and appreciated the drop back from 1400m at her previous start when racing second-up following a six-month spell.
“She’s still green and will keep improving,” stable rep Rosa Altieri predicted. “We wanted to lead but she was slow to begin. Joey (Azzopardi) rode her really well and she pulled out enough to just get there.”
Noahquintilly is the second winner from as many to race from Ascot winner Peggie Sue (Monaco Consul). Her dam has an unraced 2yo colt named Who’s Talking (I’m All The Talk) and was covered by first-season sire Aysar at Geisel Park last September.
Playing God ($506,100) was well clear of Rommel ($398,890) on the WA 2yo table as of Monday morning and he will go further ahead when Arion Pedigrees adds a Westspeed Platinum bonus to his tally later this week.
Darling View Thoroughbreds stands Playing God for $49,500 alongside Splintex ($11,000) and Lightsaber ($6,600). Fees (inc GST).
