Twelve time Perth premiership winning trainer Neville Parnham notched his maiden Group One success at Ascot on Saturday when outstanding three-year-old Playing God won the $500,000 Kingston Town Stakes (1800m).

Perfectly ridden by jockey son Steven, Playing God reeled in the front running mare Impressive Jeuney in the straight to lead home a Magic Millions one-two in the feature event.

The win capped a wonderful preparation for the well bred three-year-old son of Blackfriars who last Saturday won the Aquanita Stakes. A start before he won the Western Australian Guineas.

“We hatched a plan prior to the race and we expected Impressive Jeuney to go forward,” a delighted Neville Parnham said.

“We thought if we could get into the one, one trail and make them carry the weight it would work well.”

“It’s been a busy week – but we thought we could win it and I’m very happy to have done so.”

Parnham has a big opinion of Playing God and he said the star galloper had continued to improve as he matured.

“I think he’s a pretty special horse. He didn’t start out as prominent as his older brother (God Has Spoken) did who won his first race start.”

“This horse has taken a little time to mature. This time in, his trial was excellent – his first up win was devastating and the only time he was beaten in the Fairetha (Stakes) – that was probably a good ride by Paul Harvey on Hoegaarden and we just got bottled up.”

Playing God is raced by Colin Loxton’s Cockatoo Ridge Syndicate and was purchased by Parnham on his behalf at the 2009 Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale for just $27,000.

As it stands his outstanding record reads out at five wins and two second placings from just nine starts and earnings of over $636,000.

In the run to the line in the Kingston Town Stakes it was Playing God ($3.10 fav) who got the better of the Darren McAuliffe trained Impressive Jeuney ($12) to win by a half length.

The John Thompson trained Trusting ($6) was the best of the rest in third place, a further three parts of a length back.

Connections of Playing God confirmed that a spell would be next on the agenda before he returns for a campaign with WA’s blue riband in mind.

“He’s a horse I think can go on and be a Derby horse,” Parnham said. “We’ll let him cool off from today’s run and we’ll go the paddock now and we’ll decide which track we take.”

“I’ve not convinced he’s a genuine stayer – but three-year-olds can get away with a lot of things.”

Playing God’s full brother God Has Spoken ($14) was doing his best work late in the race and wound up in eighth place in the race.

They are both by Durham Lodge’s red hot resident sire Blackfriars and is from their grand producing mare Dolly Will Do.

Winner: Playing God (Blackfriars-Dolly Will Do)
Race: WATC Kingson Town Stakes G1 (1800m)
Sold for: $27,000
Sale: 2009 Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale
Vendor: Durham Lodge
Buyer: Parnham’s Racing Stable
Earnings: $636,200
Owner(s): Cockatoo Ridge Synciate (Mgr: CW Loxton)
Trainer: Neville Parnham (Ascot)