First Stakes Winner for Playing God

Mark Smith - Sunday April 29

Trainer Steve Wolfe was rendered almost speechless when his 2-year-old gelding Lordhelpmerun clung to a rapidly diminishing half-head victory over the favourite Lady Cosmology in Saturday's the Group III WA Sires' Produce Stakes (1400m) at Ascot.

Given a peach of a ride by Shaun McGruddy, Lordhelpmerun camped on the early speed before McGruddy made his move and set up a winning break.

Longshot, Platoon was third ahead of the Karrakatta Plate winner Valour Road in fourth.

It advances the record of Lordhelpmerun to two wins, one second and one third from four starts with earnings of $262,800.

When he won at his second attempt at Ascot on March 24, Lordhelpmerun became the first winner for the Blackfriars stallion Playing God (pictured ) and he now becomes the first stakes-winner for the Mungrup Stud stallion.


Wolfe said he was wearing sunglasses to hide the tears.

"He's just been a lovely horse," Wolfe told The West Australian.

"We'll put him out and I think the Guineas will be on our radar.

"There are some great stories behind him. One of the owners, Steve Smedley, won $50,000 on a quaddie and bought a 10 percent share in him.

"I'd never met him before but that's what racing's about – getting those sort of blokes in the game."

A $25,000 purchase by Commercial Bloodstock Services out of the Toreby Park draft at the 2017 Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale, Lordhelpmerun is the first foal of the Snippetson mare Pure Heaven.

A daughter of the Listed WATC Gimcrack Stakes winner Magic Heaven (Magic Ring), Pure Heaven was herself a $20,000 purchase by Neville Parnham out of the same sale ring in 2010 before proving more than useful on the track winning five in Perth.

Pure Heaven has a weanling filly by Playing God and was bred back to him again last spring.

Winner of the Group 1 Kingston Town Classic in 2010 and 2011, Playing God moves in to fifth spot on the first season sire table.

The brother to multiple Group winner God Has Spoken becomes the seventh first season stallion to sire a stakes-winner.

Playing God covered 57 mares at Mungrup Stud last season at a fee of $4,400.

Advertisment
More Reading...
Dundeel Filly Dazzles in Listed Oaklands Plate
The Listed SAJC Oaklands Plate (1400m) at Morphettville on Saturday was won last year by Coco Sun, who went on to win the Group I SA Derby last month and this year’s winner Femminile also looks to be a quality filly to watch next season.
Peachester Lodge Celebrate Stakes Success for Princess Rhaenys
In-form mare Princess Rhaenys scored a narrow victory in the Listed Tattersall's Gold Crown (2143m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday as the well-related daughter of Iffraaj scored a richly-deserved maiden stakes success.
New SW Merchant Navy - Cottee Triumphs in Tattersall's Mile
The lightly raced Merchant Navy mare Cottee had been building up for a peak performance and was an emphatic winner of the Listed Tattersall's Mile (1600m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday.
Two From Two for Dan Vegas
Exciting local three-year-old Dan Vegas added a second victory to his unbeaten record with another dominant front-running performance in Saturday’s Truweld Engineering 3YO (1400m) at Ruakaka.
Proisir Winner at Rosehill
Former Kiwi galloper Amberite continues to make a good impression since joining the stable of Mornington trainer Matt Laurie, with the son of Proisir trekking north to Sydney to land the Prague Yearlings Selling Now Handicap (1800m) at Rosehill on Saturday.
Zarastro Wins G3 Tatts Healy Stakes
A two time stakes-winner at the end of last year, the Tony Gollan trained I Am Invincible gelding Zarastro has been performing a little below par this preparation, but bounced back to his brilliant best to post a career highlight win in the $200,000 Group III Tatts WJ Healy Stakes (1200m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday.
Sires With Winners - Saturday June 29
Here is the full list of 108 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Kiwi Bred Golden Path Wins Listed McKell Cup
Victorian raider Golden Path has made it back-to-back victories in Sydney with a dominant victory in the Listed W J Mckell Cup (2000m) at Rosehill on Saturday.
The Old Marvel Vow And Declare Wins his Second Tattersall's Cup
Five years ago, the 3-year-old Vow And Declare won the Group III Tattersall's Cup over 3000m at Eagle Farm on the way to winning the Melbourne Cup and finishing second to Mer De Glace (JPN) in the Caulfield Cup.
GI Tiara Caps Amazing Season for Bella Nipotina
Pride of Dubai has two absolutely outstanding mares running for him this season and while Pride of Jenni has been off on a well earned break preparing for the spring, Bella Nipotina has been blazing a path to further G1 glory over the Brisbane Winter Carnival adding the $700,000 Group I Tatts Tiara (1400m) to her stellar CV at Eagle Farm on Saturday.