Neville Parnham knows the Playing God breed better than anyone and he’s confident Country God can make the grade for Darling View’s Champion WA sire this season.
Country God had won two nurseries in a row last month and just failed to complete a hat-trick at his first outing as a 3yo when nailed in the final strides by My Authoritah (Playing God). Parnham added blinkers and brought him back a furlong which made all the difference in the Lawn Pride Australia Plate (1200m) at Belmont on Saturday.
“He was a bit unlucky last week,” Parnham said after the seven-day turnaround. “He was left exposed early and was floating late in the race. The winner looks a nice horse and that was a good guide coming into today. This one has a nice turn of foot and his family on the dam’s side have all been short-course horses.”
Parnham prepared Playing God (Blackfriars) to a feature race treble at the 2010 Ascot Summer Carnival in the G2 WA Guineas (1600m), LR Aquanita Stakes (1800m) and G1 Kingston Town Classic (1800m).
Country God is the first foal from City Circle (City Place) who was much more precocious winning three Ascot sprints up to 1200m. He was bred by Parnham and Yarradale Stud and among his host of owners is an Own The Dream syndicate that bought in after last year’s Perth Magic Millions Yearling Sale. Parnham and his wife Carol also bred City Circle’s 2yo colt by Playing God and her yearling colt by Maschino in partnership with Yarradale owner Lyn Sayers.
Winning jockey Chris Parnham took luck out of the equation on Saturday after Country God began best before taking a sit behind Castle Road (Safeguard). “He was a handful early on but has come of age this prep. He backed up really well today and when the leader gave us an inside run he just did the rest.”
