Ascot’s first meeting of the season saw Playing God sire a regulation double with Reginetta and God’s Gate but Darling View’s WA Champion didn’t clock off after that Saturday shift.
He was back centre stage on Sunday winning the feature race at Geraldton’s second meeting of the season with Champeze in the Ladies Day Sprint (1200m) for local owner-trainer Allan Hughes. (Photo / Western Racepix)
Champeze (6m Playing God – Just As Beautiful by Beautiful Crown) was bred and sold by Willaview Stud for $65,000 at the 2022 Perth Magic Millions Yearling Sale and she came good as a winter 3yo for trainer Neville Parnham winning a Northam maiden and the Lexus Of Perth Hcp (1300m) at Belmont.
After finding her mark in town against all ages, she was purchased by Hughes and did the rounds with three regional trainers before he decided she would be better placed at his Utakarra stables near the racecourse at Geraldton.
“She had been well-beaten at her previous three starts in Carnarvon and the Ladies Day Sprint was her first in our colours,” Hughes said on Monday. “She’s a kind mare and is very happy here. She came to hand very quickly and we had a few bob at each-way odds.”
Stewards interviewed Hughes regarding the improved performance after she nailed the favourite In Situ (Snippetson) in the shadows of the winning post. They reported Champeze commenced awkwardly for Lisa Staples and was impeded from straightening until shifting outwards for clear running near the 200m.
The winning trainer advised officials it was the mare’s first start for him and she had been working well leading into race.
Hughes and Staples (Photo / Western Racepix) then combined to win the last race with another 6yo mare named Forbidden Apple (The Autumn Sun). She arrived with a late burst in the Big Freeze In The Valley Hcp.
The best horse to emerge for Hughes in recent years has been the Steve Kilner-owned mare Butterflyrock (Galah) who was named Geraldton Horse of the Year in 2024-25. And Allan knows all the highways and byways in the mid-west having won country cups at Meekatharra, Mount Magnet, Yalgoo, Mingenew, Dongara, Northampton and Walkaway.
As for Champeze, she is sound in limb and wind and will race on for Allan and his wife Ros this season before eventually going to stud as a half-sister to Salade (G2 ATC Pago Pago Stakes) and Gorgeous Gossip (2nd RL Magic Millions 3YO Trophy).
Their dam Just As Beautiful (Beautiful Crown) was placed in a G3 Canberra Black Opal Stakes (1200m) and she is a half-sister to Prized Icon (G1 Victoria Derby), Matras (G3 MVRC Tesio Stakes) and Romantic Moon (G3 ATC Sweet Embrace Stakes.
Champeze owns a commercial pedigree on the bottom-half and the top-shelf takes care of itself being a daughter of Playing God.
