Playing God sired his first city double of the season with Advanced and Warralea Lass at Belmont on Wednesday and trainer Neville Parnham may have also found his next winner by the reigning champion at the trials this week.
Advanced appreciated cover in the blustery conditions to give apprentice Chanel Cooper her first metro winner in the Morley Growers Market Hcp (1700m). She tracked the leader Dad’s Bigheaded (I’m All The Talk) and didn’t go around a horse to score by over a length from last-start winner Grand Reserve (Maschino) and the favourite Beach Pad (Bondi).
“That was exactly how I asked Chanel to ride him,” trainer Hayden Ballantyne said. “He’s in a good spot and always tried hard. He’s tough and fit and we might try him out in a couple of races over longer distances.”
Advanced was coming off a Bunbury win last month when he was getting past a mile for the first time this prep. “He was the best horse in the race at Bunbury and I delayed a suspension so I could ride him here today,” Cooper revealed. “I was patient and waited for the cutaway. It paid off because he had that good turn of foot when I needed it.”
Back-to-back wins has seen his bank-balance go past $250,000 including Westspeed bonuses of $64,000. Bought as a yearling by Bob Peters for $150,000 at the 2020 Perth Magic Millions, he changed hands again two years ago when purchased for a syndicate managed by Hayden’s wife Alyssa.
Advanced is a full-brother to the Parnham-trained Group 1 miler Platoon. Their dam Oriel (Oratorio) is now owned by Yarradale Stud and she has a yearling filly by Playing God.
Warralea Lass was another Playing God stretching out past a mile at the midweek meeting for trainer Steve Wolfe and stable jockey Shaun McGruddy. She sat three-wide with cover for the old-firm and was too strong in the testing conditions.
Punters sent her out a $5.50 second-elect in the Ascot Carnival Sale Hcp (2100m) and that was value-plus for a filly who had finished a close-up fourth in the G3 WA Oaks (2400m) in April. “She shows ability and I told the owners she should have won last week,” Wolfe said after she buttered-up successfully. “She can stay so hopefully we can take her through the grades.”
Warralea Lass, like Advanced, carries the Playing God – Oratorio cross albeit by an extra degree of separation along the bottom line. She was bred by Olive Hill and sold through Rangeview Stud for $60,000 at the 2022 Perth Magic Millions.
She’s the first foal of Lacie Locket (Hala Bek) who has a 2yo filly by Playing God and a yearling filly by Splintex. The Playing God filly also made $60k at this year’s Swan Valley Sale to the winning bid of Ryan Hill.
Lacie Locket is the first foal of Lacie (Oratorio) whose older half-brother Guest Wing (Right Wing) won a G2 Perth Cup (2400m) in 2011. The Playing God – Oratorio cross is in overdrive at an 81% strike-rate.
Parnham’s latest Playing God 3yo to emerge is God’s Gate. He was prominent during a sole 2yo start at Ascot in March and resumed with the easiest of hit-outs in a Belmont trial over 1000m on Monday.
God’s Gate led and Laqdar Ramoly had lengths up his sleeve as the colt cruised to the line. He’s a three-quarter brother to speed-machine Ghost Who Walks (God Has Spoken) who has Listed wins to his credit at Ascot in the 2023 Beaufine Stakes and 2024 Summer Scorcher.
He’s a homebred for Colin Loxton (Cockatoo Ridge) who raced Playing God and God Has Spoken. His dam Death Knock (Lonhro) has a 2yo Playing God colt that was sold by Western Breeders Alliance (as agent) for $110,000 to Parnham at this year’s Perth Magic Millions.
Playing God is aiming for a hat-trick of WA Premeirships in 2024-25 and he stands for $49,500 at Darling View Thoroughbreds with Splintex ($11,000) and Lightsaber ($6,600). Service fees (inc GST). Stud manager Brent Atwell can be contacted for bookings or more information on 0408 648 100