Former barn mates I’m All The Talk and Playing God both sired doubles to dominate the Ascot meeting on Wednesday.

I’m All The Talk 3yo fillies Swansee and Sister Talk won their maidens before Playing God pair Playing Games and Stylish Lord sent favourite punters home happy with a running double to close the 12-race card.

Playing God (Blackfriars) initially retired to stand at Mungrup Stud in 2014 and I’m All The Talk (Stratum) joined him on the Great Southern roster in 2016.  They were both crowned Champion First-Season Sires and were hot property when Mungrup Stud dispersed its stock in 2020.

Darling View Thoroughbreds beat off some spirited competition to keep Playing God in WA and a week later secured I’m All The Talk.  “They will be instrumental in taking us to the next level,” Stud Manager Brent Atwell declared.  “Playing God is the most exciting stallion in Western Australia and it was an opportunity too good to miss.”

Playing God continues to lift from one level to the next with a hat-trick of premierships almost a given this season, however, Darling View can only imagine what might have been with I’m All The Talk who died in January 2022.

“I’m All The Talk was a super young stallion and was only in the infancy of his stud career,” Atwell said at the time.  “He had received wonderful support serving over 200 mares in two books here and we would like to thank Mungrup’s Gray and Jan Williamson for giving us the opportunity to purchase him for Darling View.”

I’m All The Talk leads the WA 2YO ladder with his final crop this season and his current 3YO crop is led by the Meryl Hayley-trained Belmont winner Catch Carter who was last seen finishing midfield in the LR Sir Ernest Lee-Steere Classic (1400m) in November.

Hayley also prepares Wednesday’s I’m All The Talk winner Swansee who is a homebred for Jan Williamson.  She jumped straight to the front at her second start and fought back after being headed in the straight to defeat Spank Appeal (Maschino) by a half-head in the Drummond Golf Maiden (1200m).

“I thought she would run top-three,” Hayley said.  “She went really well first-up but wobbled about when coming off the bridle so I told Lucky (Ramoly) to set a bolder tempo today.”

Swansee (3f I’m All The Talk – Duck Duck Goose by Dick Turpin) is from an unraced daughter of Yumalishus (Metal Storm) who earned black-type when runner-up to Feisty Business (Key Business) in the 2003 edition of the LR Ngawyni Stakes (1100m) at Ascot.

Hayley was back in the spotlight later on Wednesday when her Playing God mare Playing Games powered home under 60kg to defeat Sports Talk (I’m All The Talk) in the Statewide Oil Hcp (1400m).  She went out a $3 favourite with Willie Pike aboard despite a run of outs going back to May 2024.

“She’s had absolutely no luck and Willie said he would get it right today after being checked and forced three wide from a good draw last start,” Hayley explained.  “She’s tough and has been up a while so we will see how she pulls up before assessing whether to come back on a Saturday.”

Playing Games (4m Playing God – Mama Bear by Big Brown) was bred by Hayley as is the dam’s 3yo Cash Flow (Universal Ruler) who was a Geraldton maiden winner in November.  They’re both raced by Meryl’s partner Jamie Davies and Neil Thompson.

Hayley also has Mama Bear’s 2yo filly by Universal Ruler and a weanling colt by Awesome Rock.

Playing God has sired 6 individual Stakes winners this season and he has a full hand in black-type at Ascot on Saturday with Bruce Almighty (LR Grandstand Cup), Funchal & Noahquintilly (LR Natasha Stakes) and Play Fair & Later Alligator (LR John Roberts Stakes).