THINK IT OVER’S COLOURS GIVE PARKER A “FAMILY DOUBLE”

KERRY Parker never minds taking the royal blue and orange colours to the races – and who can blame him?

Those colours were carried to 14 victories – including a memorable 2022 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) at Royal Randwick when Nash Rawiller daringly skirted the outside fence in the straight on the $41 outsider – by the multiple Group 1 winning Kembla Grange trainer’s now retired champ Think It Over.

And they were to the fore again yesterday when Parker clinched a home track “family double” for owner Richard Johnston, who races his horses under the Bylong Park banner.

Parker’s lightly raced and promising three-year-old Rhythm Of the Rein ($3) made it two wins from as many starts when he comfortably took the Provincial Class 1 Handicap (1200m).

Then a couple of races later $21 chance Equilibrist strengthened his home track tally by winning the Conditional Benchmark 68 Handicap (1400m).

Chad Lever rode Rhythm Of The Rein, and Lee Magorrian partnered Equilibrist.

Between the pair they have been aboard in all Equilibrist’s five Kembla Grange successes.

Parker is not one to put false wraps on his horses, but there’s no doubt about his liking for Cosmic Force three-year-old Rhythm Of The Rein.

But he won’t be tempted to chase a hat-trick with the gelding any time soon.

“Rhythm Of The Rein is a really nice horse, and hopefully has a bright future going on what he has done so far,” Parker said today.

“But he’s off to the paddock to develop further and mature.”

Parker didn’t race the young sprinter as a two-year-old, and kicked him off at home on August 15 when he won a Midway Maiden Plate (1000m).

He stepped up another 200m yesterday without any bother, and stretched out strongly over the closing stages to score by nearly two lengths from Newcastle trainer Nathan Doyle’s Vittozi ($7) and leading Hawkesbury trainer Brad Widdup’s Seven Days ($4.40).

Whilst six-year-old Equilibrist posted his fifth win at home, there was something different about his performance.

“This was the first time he has won on a good track,” Parker said.

“He won his Maiden over 1600m on a ‘Heavy 10” in October 2024, and all previous wins have been on wet ground.

“I was happy when we had some rain here on Wednesday night.

“Even though the track was good yesterday, that rain took the jar out of the ground and undoubtedly helped him.”

Parker has had a few cracks at winning in town with the son of Trapeze Artist without success, but hasn’t given up hope.

But he says his best chance of breaking through in town with him would definitely be on a wet track.

Parker’s double with Rhythm Of The Rein and Equilibrist had a family flavour about it.

Rhythm Of The Rein’s dam Cadencia is the fourth foal of the latter’s dam, the Lonhro mare Munhro, who passed away in October 2023.

Newcastle trainer Mark Minervini has a good record winning races at Wyong – and added to that today with a mare who also likes the track.

Three of Smiling Prophet’s seven wins have been at Wyong, where she took the Midway Benchmark 64 Handicap (1350m).

Jockey Rory Hutchings made no mistake on the mare, who at $4.40 bolted in from Kembla Grange trainer Donna Grisedale’s Powder Man ($11) and Wyong trainer Damien Lane’s Wealthy Investor ($3.80 favorite).

Kembla Grange trainer Theresa Bateup also was a Wyong winner; her $7 chance Autumn Flyer (Adam Hyeronimus) taking the Provincial Maiden Handicap (1100m) from leading Hawkesbury trainer Brad Widdup’s $3.20 favorite Laconic Livo. STORY BY JOHN CURTIS. AUGUST, 30, 2026. PIC BRADLEY PHOTOS