Darling View Thoroughbreds and its Champion WA Sire Playing God ushered in the New Year with three of the first five winners at Ascot on Perth Cup Day.
Playing God longshot Later Alligator didn’t help punters recovering from a night of festivities when he routed more fancied rivals in the Westspeed Platinum Hcp (1200m) after easing from $41 to $81. He arrived with a well-timed finish to win by a half-length from On Patrol (War Chant) and Helluva Goddess (Playing God).
Later Alligator (4g Playing God – Five Fields by Citidancer) won at Albany and Bunbury in his first prep this time last year but disappointed due to adverse reactions to allergies during a short winter campaign.
“He’s always shown plenty behind the scenes and is just starting to hit his straps,” trainer Ryan Hill said after welcoming Later Alligator and his partner Victoria Corver back to scale. (Photo / Western Racepix)
“It was a good ride tracking the favourite and it panned out perfectly.”
Greenfields Lodge owner Tony Patrizi bred and sold Later Alligator for $160,000 to Mick Wilson at the 2023 Perth Magic Millions. He’s the fourth winner from Five Fields who was a Pinjarra maiden winner in 2012 when ridden by Hill for trainer Vern Brockman.
Hill’s connection with the family continued when he paid $42,500 for a Rommel – Five Fields filly from Greenfield Lodge at the 2025 Perth Magic Millions. It’s a successful Group 1 Peters Investments pedigree going back to 1998 Kingston Town Classic (1800m) winner Old Nick (Old Comrade).
Playing God had sired a winning treble at Pinjarra on Boxing Day and Darling View-bred graduates Sound Of Speed (Microphone) and Prospector’s Pick (Snippetson) completed another treble for the Mundijong nursery yesterday.
Darling View has entered Playing God siblings to both winners at the Perth Magic Millions Yearling Sale on Friday, February 20. The filly from Jemerica (Captain Rio) is a half-sister to Sound Of Speed (Lot 192) and the filly out of Top Show (Stratum) is a half-sister to Prospector’s Pick (Lot 291).
