God She’s Sassy lived up to her name while cruising to a six-length victory for trainer and part-owner David Harrison in the Dunning’s Maiden (1000m) at Northam on Thursday.
Presented first-up since January, the Playing God filly was full of herself in running and then dismissed her rivals with a demoralising turn of foot. Kept safe on the second-line of markets behind $2.90 favourite God’ll Getya (Playing God), she led out of the gates and was off and gone when Joe Azzopardi released the brakes in the straight.
God She’s Sassy showed ability from the outset having been run down as an odds-on favourite on debut in a Bunbury nursery this time last year. The grey flyer is a younger half-sister to the Patronize fillies Chix Pic (LR Perth Stakes) and Pat’s Got Sass who was placed in the G2 Karrakatta Plate (1200m) won by Ex Sport Man (Playing God) in 2021.
Bred by Darling View Thoroughbreds director Clive Atwell, it was a no-brainer she would be retained being the final foal of Sassy Flyer (Due Sasso). There’s more black-type through the dam’s older half-brothers McLurch (McFlirt) in a LR Hannan’s Hcp (1400m) and Raw Metal (Metal Storm) who won a LR Ruabon Stakes (1200m) a year before it was renamed the Miss Andretti Stakes.
Their dam Raw Flyer (Belele) was an Ascot and Belmont winner when trained by Harrison’s wife Jenny and third-dam Sculptured Jewel (Arch Sculptor) was bred by Mike Scaffidi and Lou Ligovich who won a G1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m) with their colt Palace Reign (Beau Sovereign) in 1992.
Going back several removes, God She’s Sassy is a direct descendant of Champion Group 1 Filly Chicola (Empyrean) who won the 1958-59 AJC and VRC Oaks for revered Caulfield trainer Kel Chapman.
Later on Thursday, Playing God 3yo Decision Maker completed a double for the Darling View Champion in the Triple M Maiden (1600m). A promising middle-distance galloper in the making, he broke through when getting out to a mile for the first time this prep at the expense of short-priced favourite Midnight Star (Zoustar).
Decision Maker was also bred by Clive Atwell and was a $160,000 buy for a Neville Parnham stable partnership out of the Western Breeders Alliance draft to the 2023 Perth Magic Millions. He’s the first foal of Sense Of Power (Discorsi) who won three times up to a mile at Belmont and her older half-brother Coalseam (Desert Sun) had won a Helena Vale Cup (2200m) and Winter Cup (2400m) in 2006.
Decision Maker’s Irish-bred second-dam Crow’s Nest (Shirley Heights) hails from the Group 1 classic family of Irish St Leger winner Mountain Lodge (Blakeney) and English & Irish Oaks winner Sariska (Pivotal).
A day before the Avon Valley double, Playing God sired his latest 2yo winner when Country God claimed the Hahn Super Dry Maiden (1200m) at Pinjarra. Prepared by Nevile Parnham, he was also racing first-up since January and charged home to nail front-runner Call Me Frosty (Snippetson) close to the post.
Country God sold for $80,000 through Yarradale Stud (as agent) at the 2024 Perth Magic Millions. His dam City Circle (City Place) won three Ascot sprints up to 1200m for Parnham and she has a Playing God yearling colt and a Maschino filly foal. Her latest cover was a late-season service by Ducimus in November 2024.
