Playing God has scooped the pool winning the 2023-24 WA General and 2YO Sires’ premierships to emulate legendary local stallions Haulpak and Scenic.

The Darling View Thoroughbreds resident sired 63 individual winners of 107 races for record earnings of $7,935,892.  His 2yo division included 6 individual winners and $592,345 of that overall total by season’s end on Wednesday.

Scenic (Durham Lodge) in 2005-06 and Haulpak (Heytesbury Stud) in 1990-91 have been the only other stallions to win both categories in the modern era.  And his own sire Blackfriars (Danehill) won 12 titles in a row until 2021-22.

Playing God claimed his first title last season and it always looked like being a successful defence this term as early as November 25 when Zipaway won the G2 WA Guineas (1600m) and Bustler the G1 Railway Stakes (1600m).

The Neville Parnham-trained stablemates banked a combined $1,114,700 within 30 minutes of each other on that memorable afternoon at Ascot.  “That was our best-ever day on a racecourse,” Darling View manager Brent Atwell said while recalling the celebrations that followed.  “It was unbelievable and so emotional and we didn’t even own them!”

Atwell, his parents Clive & Trish and his wife Kasey made do sipping a coffee to celebrate the titles with their staff on Thursday morning.  “There’s a lot of work that goes on behind the scenes and we couldn’t do it without such a great team.

“We took the plunge to buy Playing God in 2020.  We had a good opinion of him and so did a lot of good judges but I don’t think anyone could have predicted what he’s achieved.  And to sit alongside a champion sire like Haulpak is amazing.”

Playing God covered his first Darling View mares at a $13,200 service fee and that’s increased book-by-book to $49,500 this year.  He stands alongside Splintex ($11,000) and Lightsaber ($6,600).  Service fees (inc GST) and Brent Atwell can be contacted for bookings or further information on 0408 648 100.