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.

Advertisement

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...
Frosty Girl impressive on debut
The Chris Waller-trained Frosty Girl made the perfect start to her career when coming from last to land the Asahi Super Dry Plate (1300m) on debut at Warwick Farm on Wednesday.
Sires With Winners - Wednesday June 4
Here is the full list of 48 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
A Passion That Lasts a Lifetime
A passion for pedigrees and thoroughbreds is often one that lasts a lifetime and so it has been for one of the co-breeders of Bravery, who contacted me this week following our earlier and very well read story on current 2YO star Cool Archie.
Sires With Winners - Thursday June 5
Here is the full list of 36 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Blueblood Import - American-Bred Jillaroo Records First Win
Purchased at the 2022 Keeneland September Yearling Sale by Ciaron Maher, the now 4yo mare Jillaroo (USA) (Curlin) initially started her racing career in the United States but after an Australian debut second at Caulfield in early May, recorded her maiden victory at Doomben.
Inglis Ready 2 Race Entries Open
Entries for the Inglis Ready2Race Sale – Australasia’s most progressive 2YO Sale – are now open.
Breeding To Win - 2025 G1 Queensland Oaks
Unbeaten this preparation, Philia will be looking to emulate her half-sister Duais in winning the $1million Group I BRC Queensland Oaks (2200m) on Saturday, but a swarm of up and comers are nipping at her heels, so who are they?
Another Day, Another Stakes-Winner for Wootton Bassett
A homebred for Marc Chan, quality Wootton Bassett (GB) colt Green Impact closed out his juvenile season winning the Group II Champions Juvenile Stakes at Leopardstown and he bounced back into the winner’s list at the same venue overnight.
New Winner for Bivouac
Godolphin have been  enjoying a winning run with their late season juveniles and it continued at Geelong on Thursday where Bivouac gelding Loving opened his account.
Wootton Bassett 2YOs on the March
Wootton Bassett’s star Northern Hemisphere two year-old Albert Einstein has been ruled out of Royal Ascot with a sprained joint that will require a few weeks off, but the red hot sire added two more talented debut winning juvenile colts at The Curragh overnight.