PARKER’S BIRD IN THE HAND BETTER THAN TWO AT THE PROVINCIALS

A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush – or the provincials to be more exact!

Multiple Group 1 winning trainer Kerry Parker lost the lead in his home track’s local premiership to rivals Mitch Beer and George Carpenter yesterday, but celebrated a Rosehill Gardens victory with lightly-raced filly All The Way Mae (above).

Parker and Team Beer were tied on 12 wins each beginning yesterday’s meeting at the new inside Illawarra Grange track, but the latter posted a double to become outright leaders.

“It’s been a good season at home, but I’ve said before I don’t have the cattle to compete with Mitch and George,” Parker said today.

“Good luck to them, but a win in town more than cancels out two winners at the provincials.

“And it was especially pleasing to do it with All The Way Mae.”

Ridden by Andrew Adkins, All The Way Mae ($11) was having her first start in town, and made no mistake in the Midway Benchmark 72 Handicap (1100m).

A daughter of The Everest winner Yes Yes Yes, she revelled in the heavy conditions to defeat She Swings ($14) and Kurrinda Bloodstock’s Gorgeous ($2.20 favorite) to boost her record to three wins from only seven starts.

“It was a good set-up for All The Way Mae,” Parker said.

“This was her third run back this time in, the wet track suited her and they ran along.

“I was surprised about her price; she had won really well at home a couple of weeks ago and was ready for her first city test.

“The heavy ground was never going to be a problem.

“She won at her debut at Newcastle over 900m 12 months ago on a ‘Heavy 10’ after being slowly away.

“I’ve always had a good opinion of All The Way Mae, but things just didn’t go right last preparation.

“I gave her a good break, and she has come back a bit more mature and it’s showing with her performances.

“It’s the right time of the year (wet tracks) to keep her in work, but there isn’t another suitable 1100m Midway in town in the near future.

“I don’t want to try to stretch her to 1200m just yet. That can wait until her next campaign.”

Parker has four acceptors at his home meeting on Tuesday (scheduled for the course proper), and expects to run both Captain Peacock and Tom Cruising.

“The track will be heavy and it will be hard going, but I’m sure the races will go ahead with a turnaround in the weather,” he said.

Stablemates Flying Bandit and Well Timed are both spelling following a recent unsuccessful trip south of the border to race at Flemington.

Team Beer took the outright local trainers’ premiership lead by scoring with Rose Of Fenway ($4) and

McAdam ($1.60 favorite), and also joined Sydney’s record-breaking Chris Waller topping the All Trainers’ title.

Jean Van Overmeire partnered Rose Of Fenway to an easy victory in the F&M Maiden Plate (1300m), whilst apprentice Coriah Keatings made no mistake on hotpot McAdam in the Midway Benchmark 64 Handicap (1450m).

However Team Beer’s hopes of a treble disappointingly never got off the ground when Presides was ruled out of the Provincial Benchmark 64 Handicap (1200m) late when found to have blood present in its right nostril.

Acting on veterinary advice RacingNSW stewards chose not to impose the provisions of AR 79(8), but requested a veterinary clearance before the recent Kembla Grange winner can trial or race again.

. Parker and Team Beer weren’t the only Kembla Grange trainers to enjoy the winning spotlight yesterday.

Steven Sampson ventured to Canberra to land the Class 2 Handicap (1280m) with Starinion on the synthetic track.

Ridden by Damon Budler, Starinion ($4.40) defeated Bide Your Time ($4) and Zoucat ($9) in the Class 2 Handicap (1280m).

Hobby trainer Sampson is doing a terrific job with the Stratum Star five-year-old, winning two races with him so far this year; the first at home in February in a Benchmark 64 Handicap (1200m).

. CURRENT KEMBLA GRANGE PREMIERSHIP STANDINGS

LOCAL TRAINERS (Wins)

M. Beer & G. Carpenter 14

K. Parker 12

R. & L. Price 7

D. Poidevin Laine 6

A. Mountney 3

T. Bateup 3

ALL TRAINERS (3,2 and 1 points system)

C. Waller 83

M. Beer & G. Carpenter 83

R. & L. Price 57

T. Charlton 57

K. Parker 56

JOCKEYS (3,2 and 1 points system)

K. Latham 102

M. Bell 78

M. Fitzgerald (a) 70

B. Ryan 60

L. Magorrian 54

STORY JOHN CURTIS, MAY 31, 2026 - PICS BRADLEY PHOTOS