KERRY Parker’s best two horses Think It Over and Hope In Your Heart have been retired, but it hasn’t stopped his momentum.
The Kembla Grange trainer clinched his third winner in as many days when Herb ($8) broke through in town at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.
Herb’s victory in the Midway Benchmark 72 Handicap (1300m) followed Parker’s successes with debutante Take You There ($31) on her home track last Thursday and Slipstreaming ($12) at Queanbeyan a day later.
The treble took his number of winners this season to 26, 11 more than last year and four more than in 2021-22.
Whilst Parker’s team has taken on a bigger presence in recent months – he now also trains for ML Racing – he says he is handling the extra workload without any problems.
“ML Racing stables are just across the road from me, and I’ve got nine in work for them as well as 20 of my own,” he explained.
“I had trained some horses previously for ML Racing, and I’m still basically a boutique stable.”
Herb is one of the ML team, and Parker was understandably thrilled to get a city breakthrough with the five-year-old son of Sizzling.
“He had been placed at his first two runs for me at Newcastle and Rosehill, and got a gun ride from Jason Collett yesterday from a gun barrier (the inside),” he said.
“Herb deserved that win. All I have to do is to keep him happy, and hopefully we can pick up another one in town.”
Parker’s two earlier victories with Take You There and Slipstreaming were both for Jamie Walter’s Proven Thoroughbreds, which races last year’s The Everest victor Think About It.
“Proven Thoroughbreds and myself bought Take You There (a daughter of Merchant Navy) for $120,000 at the Inglis Classic yearling sale two years ago,” he said.
“But she was injured early on, so she wasn’t syndicated as the Proven horses are, and we race her ourselves.
“I thought she might need a bit further when she made her debut at home in a 1200m Midway 3YO Maiden last Thursday, but she settled handier than expected and did a good job to win.
“Hopefully we can continue to have some fun with her.”
As for the $8.5m earner Think It Over, Parker says his now retired former champ is in great order.
“He is being looked after well at Davali Thoroughbreds, and loving life,” he said.
“Think It Over is in the first paddock, and comes racing over to the fence whenever anyone arrives.”’.
Meanwhile, Hawkesbury’s premiership winners have been finalised following Sunday’s last meeting of the season.
Sydney’s champion apprentice Zac Lloyd, with 14.5 wins, won both the senior and junior riding title, emulating Tyler Schiller’s feat of last season.
Chris Waller (13 wins) took the trainers’ premiership, but not before Peter and Paul Snowden made a late surge to almost join him.
Team Snowden captured two of the first three races with Coast Guard ($3.40) and After Match ($3.60) to reach 12 wins, before finishing second with Written Scandal ($4.20) to champion Winx’s half-sister and debutante Wings Of Desire ($2.90 favorite) in the F&M Maiden Plate (1100m).
Story John Curtis, July 21, 2024 - Pics Bradley Photos
Comments