Gray Williamson couldn’t have scripted a better New Year leading into the Perth Magic Millions Yearling Sale next month.
He has entered 16 yearlings under the Mungrup Pty Ltd banner and the cream of the consignment rises to the top with four colts by Playing God. Williamson launched the champion stallion’s stud career in 2014 and it also cemented his status as the Great Southern’s most successful breeder on record.
Playing God (Blackfriars) was purchased by a Darling View Thoroughbreds syndicate in 2020 and he’s odds-on to complete a hat-trick of WA premierships for the Mundijong stud this season.
Williamson bred and sold Playing Rio who scored a powerful victory in the $125,000 Fitzpatrick Plate (1230m) at Albany on Sunday. The Paul Hunter-trained 5yo was a $47,500 buy at the 2020 Mungrup Stud Dispersal Sale and has now returned just shy of $200,000.
“He’s still learning his craft but is a promising horse,” Hunter said. “And it was a great ride by Jason (Whiting).”
Connections will now set him for the $100,000 Mt Barker Sprint (1300m) on January 19. Stewards reported the winner was bumped and unbalanced on jumping, again at the 1100m and for a third time at the 300m.
“It always felt like he was going to win,” Whiting countered. “He jumped clean and took up a nice position and then we cruised up. Paul has been good to me over the last few years and it‘s always nice to come down here and win a race like this for him.”
Playing Rio represents the Playing God – Oratorio cross which has an amazing 84% strike-rate. His dam Sorbatorio is an unraced half-sister to No Questions (G2 Karrakatta Plate) and French Favourite (LR Raconteur Stakes) and she sold for $30,000 at the Mungrup Stud Dispersal.
Sorbatorio subsequently foaled recent Narrogin 3yo maiden winner Wineaclocksumwhere (Sessions) and an unnamed 2yo filly by Maschino with trainer Dan Morton. They were bred by Oakland Park and her latest delivery is an A Lot (USA) colt on the ground at Willaview Park.
The Fitzpatrick Plate finished off a winning week for Mungrup Stud with city winners Walkin’talkin’ (I’m All The Talk) at Canterbury on New Year’s Day and Bruce Almighty (Playing God) at Ascot on Saturday.
Gray Williamson was also honoured at the TBWA Awards in December when he received three trophies including WA Breeder Of The Year for 2023-24. Last season’s leader was Group 1 Railway Stakes (1600m) winner Bustler (Playing God).
His Playing God quartet at the Perth Magic Millions comprises colts from Cascada (Lot 6), Cowgirl Claire (Lot 21), Get No Answers (Lot 47) and Majantic (Lot 82).
After buying Playing God to stand at Mungrup Stud a decade ago, Williamson claimed no local horse of his calibre had stood in WA since Aquanita. “He was an Ascot 2yo winner and then came back for an absolute stellar season as a 3yo. He’s quite a big horse but just floats around the paddock.”
And in a prophetic aside, Williamson said standing the best colt by a champion stallion is always an advantage and added Playing God was more precocious and versatile than Blackfriars.
“It helps that he performed so well in Perth and I can see Playing God’s stock adapting to our local conditions!”