PARKER’S MAE PUTS HOTPOT IN THE SHADE

TAKING on the meeting’s shortest-priced favorite by far with a debutante didn’t frighten Kerry Parker one bit.

The skilled Kembla Grange trainer knew he had a worthy rival in All The Way Mae for last start city placegetter and $1.14 hotpot Tyrone’s Power in the Midway 2YO Maiden Plate (900m) at Newcastle today – and came up trumps.

Starting at $10, the Yes Yes Yes filly, ridden by Chad Lever, made a brilliant beginning to her career, surging past Tyrone’s Powee in the last 100m and racing clear to score easily.

“All The Way Mae is a very promising youngster, and I’ve had a nice opinion of her from early on,” Parker said this evening.

“I expected her to run well, very much so.

“And she did a good job after being the widest runner on the home turn, and really hitting the line.”

The first foal of five times winner Ottamae, Parker liked the filly when he saw her and was happy to take her and set up a syndication when she was passed in at last year’s Inglis Premier yearling sale in Melbourne.

“David Vandyke (Sunshine Coast trainer) is a good friend, and I knew the I Am Invincible mare Ottamae, which he trained,” Parker said.

“JWB Thoroughbreds sent me the former Victorian So Sleek last year and we won a race with him at Newcastle 12 months ago, and he has also been placed five times (including two in town),” Parker said.

“They bred this filly and stayed in her.

“We submitted a few names which were rejected, so we just went with All The Way Mae.”

Whilst Parker was understandably delighted with the filly’s successful debut, he won’t be chasing another victory with her in the near future.

“She is going to the paddock,” he said. “The plan was always to give her one run and turn her out.

‘All The Way Mae isn’t a big filly and is still doing a few things wrong.”

With that win under his belt, Parker is now looking to break his “duck” at Eagle Farm on Saturday with his talented stayer Flying Bandit, who hasn’t raced since taking the Listed Wagga Gold Cup (2000m) on May 2.

He is one of 17 entries for the Group 3 Queen Elizabeth II Cup (2400m) at the Queensland Derby meeting.

Jay Ford, who has partnered the gelding in all six wins, goes north to continue his association with him.

“Flying Bandit is in great order and will be floated to Queensland on Wednesday evening,” Parker said.

“This will be another good test for him at his first try at 2400m.”

Parker won the 2018 Group 1 Queensland Derby with Dark Dream, but it was run over 2200m at Doomben that year rather than the traditional 2400m as Eagle Farm was closed at the time.

The four times Group 1 winning trainer has had only two starters at Saturday’s track.

Story John Curtis, May 27, 2025 - Pics Bradley Photos