The final race of the day at Belmont – the Golden River Developments HCP 1200m – presented a classic “shoot-out” between three of the states finest sprinters – only one would prevail and in “dominant” fashion.
The Neville Parnham trained Dominating ($3.00 equ fav) had strung together two impressive wins and a narrow second since resuming, and was dropping 4 kgs leading into today’s event. The Rising ($3.00 equ fav) had returned to the winners list in emphatic style last start over the 1000m journey, while Miss Solis ($5.50) looked set to go one better than it’s fast finishing second a fortnight prior and was returning to its pet trip (1200m). But it would be the Snitzel gelding Dominating who would triumph – hoop Brad Parnham charging his mount through the pack inside the final furlong to secure a 1 ¾ length winning margin.
Stacks On ($18.00) worked home well into second, with Tudor Lad ($26.00) falling into third after leading. The Rising could only manage fourth – 3 ¼ lengths adrift of the victor, while Miss Solis capitulated to only beat one home.
It was “bookend” winning rides for Brad Parnham, who had earlier piloted Bizet ($9.50) from last on the turn to win the Belmont Oaks Ladies Day Luncheon 6/7 HCP 1000m.
Brother Steven Parnham also had a day out in the saddle when successful aboard Ihtsahymn ($4.80) in the Westspeed Nursery HCP 1400m, before producing a stellar ride aboard Black Magic Miss ($7.50) coming from sixth on the turn to grasp a neck victory in the Mario Dilena 40th Birthday HCP 1400m.
Classy apprentice jockey Mitchell Pateman was not going to be left out of calculations, rewarded for two magically rides aboard Quokka ($5.00 fav) in the Happy Birthday Taryn McRae HCP 1000m and Dream Lifter ($3.70) in the Macau HCP 1400m.
In other races, Operational ($2.60 fav) made it three wins from its last three starts for trainer Fred Kersley, when coming from last to claim the Westspeed Stayers’ Bonus HCP by 1 ¼ lengths, while Craig Staples got the most out of Flag Officer ($7.00) to claim the Crown Perth HCP 1600m by a short neck.
The Hoops / Trainers
Fred Kersley opened the day with a double, preparing Bizet and Operational, while Neville Parnham had continued success with Black Magic Miss and Dominating. Jockeys Steven Parnham, brother Brad, and Mitchell Pateman all rode two winners each.
The Tipsters
Blackie had success with his best bet Dream Lifter ($3.70) winning in style, but again had to rely on the exotics to fund the day. His quartet (first four) result in the fifth paid a healthy $360.60, while also pocketing the trifecta in the penultimate that paid $137.10.
On the east coast, Shane had success spruiking Bello ($4.80) at Flemington, before finding the win of the day at Randwick when Peal Of Bells ($6.50) made a mess of the Stayer Cup field in winning by a whopping seven lengths. Shane also found She’s Clean ($4.20) to provide a nice race to race double when successful in the June Stakes.
The Black Book
Union City put in a first up blinder in the opener when a nose second to Bizet, while Vital Importance beat itself in the third – leaving its run too late, before storming home behind Ihtsahymn.
Chris Blackwell