God Has Spoken returned to form with a superb victory in the G3 Strickland Stakes (2000m) at Belmont on Saturday.

Sent out at $16 after a couple of uncharacteristic losses, God Has Spoken cruised home by a length ahead of Battle Emblem (Second Empire) and King Kool Kat (King Cugat).  The trio are all Perth Magic Millions graduates.

“His work has been super, but obviously I had been very disappointed with his last two runs,” trainer Neville Parnham said.  “I don’t think he handles the wet tracks and back on top of the ground he was able to show his best.

“We might put him away for the Kingston Town Classic at the Summer Carnival because I think he’s up to that.”

God Has Spoken (4h Blackfriars – Dolly Will Do by Rubiton) was runner-up to Sniper’s Bullet in the 2009 Kingston Town at Ascot.  He is by Durham Lodge sire Blackfriars and the Muchea nursery sold him for $41,000 at the 2008 Perth Magic Millions.

God Has Spoken has banked over $711,000 for Colin Loxton’s Cockatoo Ridge Syndicate and, aside from the Strickland Stakes, he has won the G3 R J Peters Stakes, G3 WATC Sires’ Produce Stakes and LR Aquanita Stakes.

His younger brother Playing God is also trained by Parnham for Loxton.  He won the G1 Kingston Town last year before going east to finish third in the G1 Australian Guineas and G1 Australian Cup at Flemington.

Strickland Stakes day was a benefit for Blackfriars.  He also sired Black Moment (LR Dayana Plate) and All Friared Up who made it 6 wins from 9 starts in the American Honey Hcp.

The Parnham trained gelding Smart Twister began the Belmont program on a winning note for Durham Lodge.  He is by Hurricane Sky who is still owned by Durham’s Smith family but has just been relocated to Quanah Park.