PARKER FOCUSED ON THE GONG “CONSOLATION” WITH WELL TIMED

KERRY Parker wasn’t disappointed when his consistent gelding Well Timed missed out on gaining a start in his home track’s $1m The Gong (1600m) at Kembla Grange on Saturday.

Instead he is putting his focus on winning the “consolation” Benchmark 88 Handicap over the same distance with the five-year-old.

“If The Gong wasn’t at home, it would not have even been a conversation piece concerning Well Timed when he began this current preparation,” the Kembla Grange trainer said this morning.

“We tried to get his benchmark rating up enough to get into the race, and he had his chance.

“His rating started out at 74, and is now 89 after being narrowly beaten in the Ladies Day Cup at Hawkesbury last start, but it wasn’t enough.

“I’m not disappointed at all. It’s a very strong race and he probably would have been an also ran if he had got a run.

“The Benchmark 88 will be a nice consolation and, whilst it’s his first test at 1600m, I think he will handle it.

“He gave me every indication at his last run that he will manage the ‘mile’.”

Well Timed (Brock Ryan) was narrowly beaten by talented Newcastle mare Harlem Queen in the Listed Ladies Day Cup (1500m) at Hawkesbury on November 8, and Parker pointed out the gelding “switched off” when he thought he had the race won.

“Well Timed had beaten the inside horses but switched off when he got past the crowd (the winning post was moved quite some time back to extend the length of the straight).

“He has continued to do well, and Nash Rawiller goes back on him.”

Rawiller has been aboard Well Timed in three (all at Royal Randwick) of his five wins, and also rides dominant favorite Gringotts in The Gong.

Parker has had two placings in his home track’s richest race; his now retired champ Think It Over ran third at $41 in 2020, and Hope In Your Heart was runner-up to Riodini two years later.

“They were both very good horses, and it shows just how hard it is to win The Gong,” Parker said.

“Think It Over won three Group 1s later in his career and was coming back from the 2000m of the Rosehill Cup, and Hope In Your Heart was unlucky not to have won.

“She drew poorly, got back in no man’s land and there was a bit of baulking on the home turn.

“She was beaten only a half length.”

Well Timed this morning was a $4 favorite with TAB.com.au for the Benchmark 88, and fellow Kembla Grange trainers Rob and Luke Price’s Our Gold Hope (Tommy Berry), which also missed out on getting into The Gong, was at $6.

Parker will have three runners on Saturday, with Callistemon and Let’s Go Again both beginning new campaigns.

Callistemon (Kerrin McEvoy), a Randwick winner last preparation, has trialled once on her home track in preparation for the Midway Benchmark 72 Handicap (1400m).

Let’s Go Again (Jay Ford) tackles the Benchmark 78 Handicap (1000m) seeking her fourth success; two of her wins to date have been at home.

Story John Curtis, November 20, 2025 - Pics Bradley Photos