Playing God's Kay Cee Triumphs in Kingston Town

Mark Smith - Saturday December 7

Neville Parnham trained Playing God to win the Kingston Town Classic in 2010 and 2011 so it was fitting he would have the honour of training Playing God’s first Group 1 winner and it just happened to come in the 2019 edition of the final Group 1 of the year.

The lone 3-year-old filly in the race, Kay Cee used her 9kg pull in the weight to overhaul a gallant Gailo Chop (FR) (Deportivo) by half a length with Godolphin’s luckless Best Of Days (GB) (Azamour) the same distance back in third.

Advertisement

It was a fourth win in the race for Parnham’s son Steven who was in the saddle in both wins by Playing God.

“It’s the best feeling I’ve ever had on a racetrack,” Steve Parnham said.

“I’ve worked so hard for this. It’s probable the biggest challenge I’ve had in racing to get my weight down.

“Playing God was my first Group 1 and it was a very special moment as it was also dad’s first Group 1  and to win the same race on one of his progeny is unbelievable.

“She (Kay Cee) is as tough as they come and she has just improved and cops everything that has been thrown at her.”

Neville Parnham said training the first Group 1 winner by Playing God made the victory all the more sweeter.Playing God - image Mungrup Stud

“It’s a very big thrill to win with a horse I think a lot of,” he said.

“And she’s by Playing God so it’s a really big thrill.

 “Steve is a great form student and he does things right. I knew he had a plan.

“Steven came up with an interesting stat, there has never been a horse to run past her in a race, that’s how much form he does.

“It’s great to win with a daughter of Playing God. I believed in that horse. We didn’t geld him because we though he was not mature enough in the early days. At three he just kept on winning. We took him east and he ran four or five Group 1 placings there, Australian Guineas, Australia Cup, Turnbull Stakes, all the good races the came home to win another Kingston Town.

“It’s great to have him in Western Australia. We need a good stallion and he is by Blackfriars who has sadly passed on so I hope he can fill that void.”

Winner of the Listed Burgess Queen Stakes at Ascot on November 5, Kay Cee advances her record to 4 wins, 2 seconds and 1 third from 9 starts with earnings of $925,200.

A homebred for the Edwards family, Kay Cee is the only winner from two to race out of the lightly raced McFlirt mare Flirt ‘N’ Hope who is a daughter of the popular racemare Lizzy Long Legs whose nine wins included the Group III WATC AJ Scahill Stakes.

Remarkably, Playing God struggled for patronage in his first three seasons but he covered a career high 75 mares last season despite having his fee increased from $4,400 to $11,000 at Mungrup Stud.

Advertisment

Race Result - M.Mil.-Kingston Town Classic Gr1 1800m

Ascot Track: Good(4) Time: 1:51.29
1
Kay Cee
- 3f Playing God (AUS) x Flirt 'n' Hope (AUS) (McFlirt (NZ))
Tnr: N D Parnham Rdr: S Parnham 50
2
0.5
Gailo Chop
- 9g Deportivo (GB) x Grenoble (FR) (Marignan (USA))
Tnr: M J Williams Rdr: John Allen 59
3
1.0
Best Of Days
- 6g Azamour (IRE) x Baisse (GB) (High Chaparral (IRE))
Tnr: James Cummings Rdr: B Rawiller 59
4
1.8
Superstorm
- 3g Sebring (AUS) x Stormy Nova (AUS) (Metal Storm (FR))
Tnr: G & A Williams Rdr: S Mc Gruddy 52
5
2.9
Gatting
- 6g Hard Spun (USA) x Stubborn (AUS) (Lonhro (AUS))
Tnr: D T McAuliffe Rdr: Lucy Warwick 59
6
3.1
Regal Power
- 4g Pierro (AUS) x Broadway Belle (AUS) (Redoute's Choice (AUS))
Tnr: G & A Williams Rdr: D Oliver 58.5
7
3.4
Tuscan Queen
- 3f Fastnet Rock (AUS) x Tavarnelle (AUS) (Zabeel (NZ))
Tnr: G & A Williams Rdr: W Pike 50
8
4.2
Tally
- 7g Street Cry (IRE) x Itemise (USA) (Kris S. (USA))
Tnr: James Cummings Rdr: Martin Harley 59
9
5.0
Mississippi Delta
- 6m High Chaparral (IRE) x Mississippi Belle (AUS) (Marooned (GB))
Tnr: G & A Williams Rdr: Chris Parnham 57
10
5.2
Dig Deep
- 3g Deep Field (AUS) x Lucky Ana (NZ) (Lucky Unicorn (AUS))
Tnr: D & B Pearce Rdr: Joseph Azzopardi 52
11
5.4
Pacodali
- 7g Paco Boy (IRE) x Dont Dili Dali (GB) (Dansili (GB))
Tnr: L Smith Rdr: D Yendall 59
12
6.1
Platoon
- 4g Playing God (AUS) x Oriel (AUS) (Oratorio (AUS))
Tnr: N D Parnham Rdr: B Parnham 58.5
13
6.2
Star Exhibit
- 8g Statue Of Liberty (USA) x Star Encounter (AUS) (Jeune (GB))
Tnr: A G Durrant Rdr: P Hall 59
14
6.3
Achernar Star
- 5g Gingerbread Man (AUS) x Morine (AUS) (Danetime (IRE))
Tnr: Simon Miller Rdr: P Harvey 59
15
7.2
The Velvet King
- 4g Universal Ruler (AUS) x Doubleblack Velvet (AUS) (Show A Heart (AUS))
Tnr: D T McAuliffe Rdr: Mitchell Pateman 58.5
16
9.6
Jericho Missile
- 3g Smart Missile (AUS) x Onecatstoomany (AUS) (One Cool Cat (USA))
Tnr: D R Harrison Rdr: P Knuckey 52
More Reading...
Best Of The Best Leads Home Written Tycoon One-Two
In one of the final 2YO races of the 2024/2025 season, nine-time Champion Victorian Sire Written Tycoon provided the quinella in the Vale Peta Tait 2YO Maiden Plate (1210m) at Sale with Best Of The Best leading home Bradford.
Best Ever Season for Hellbent
With his oldest progeny turning six on Friday, Yarraman Park’s Hellbent is coming to the end of his best ever season with some 126 individual Australian winners collecting over $11.1million.
Sires With Winners - Thursday July 31
Here is the full list of 23 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Sires With Winners - Wednesday July 30
Here is the full list of 48 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Perth 2YO Trial Winners for Playing God
Mungrup Stud freshman Playing God jumped the gun when the first 2yo trials of the season were conducted at Belmont on Monday morning.
Mark Ford Joins Widden Victoria as Stud Manager
Widden Stud is delighted to announce the appointment of Mark Ford as Stud Manager of its Victorian farm at Riddells Creek.
Glorious Goodwood Day 2 – Field of Gold is No Frankel
The second day of the Glorious Goodwood meeting was supposed to be the one where charismatic grey three year-old Field of Gold smashed his elders to win the Group I Sussex Stakes (1m), but that didn’t happen and instead we saw the longest priced G1 winner in British history.
First Foal at Rosemont Stud
Rosemont Stud have reported their first foal in Victoria with a great video on their socials of the daytime birth.
Mr Mozart filly well composed
The first foal by Highview Stud stallion Mr Mozart has arrived with breeder James Chapman of Jamieson Park delighted with the filly which is out of the Almanzor mare Qdos, a half-sister to black-type performers Sacred Master, Kia Ora Jewel and Tears of an Angel.
Playing God Filly Feels Playful is Oaks Bound
Since finishing fifth at Belmont at her debut last season at two, the Playing God filly Feels Playful has been a model of consistency and was rewarded with a maiden stakes success in Saturday's Listed Morley Market-Challenge Stakes (1500m) at Ascot.