Down but not out, Parnham duo back for crack at G1 Northerly Stakes

Neville Parnham considered Zipaway and Bustler big winning hopes in the Railway Stakes, but was left lamenting after his two-pronged attack fell well short of the mark.

Zipaway ran ninth while defending champion, Bustler, fared worse, finishing 13th behind Port Lockroy, but didn’t enjoy the best of runs when caught wide.

After the Railway Stakes letdown, Parnham thinks Zipaway and Bustler can make amends in Saturday’s Group 1 Tabtouch-Northerly Stakes (1800m).

“They got through the run pretty comfortably and they weren’t hurt at all,” Parnham said on Tabradio.

“They probably weren’t afforded the most suitable runs for them; that’s the best way to put it.

“Bustler had cover for a while, but then got exposed doing a bit of work and weakened out of it.

“I just didn’t read a lot into it; it was the tempo that was his drawback.

“As they settled and got their positions down the back the brakes went on out in front.

“That’s the way it goes sometimes in racing and Zipaway probably did too much work around the corner.

“I walked away disappointed, but not disappointed enough not to keep pressing on.

“Both horses have continued to work in their usual style and were never hurt in the race.

“I’ve no reason perhaps seeing a race with a bit more even tempo that they can’t come back and perform very well.

“Weight for age conditions probably suits Bustler more than Zipaway, but they both performed very well in the Lee Steere which was weight for age.

“That’s not particularly bothering me.”

Parnham has added blinkers to Zipway in the Northerly Stakes, hoping it can prove the crucial difference and might help him to be a little sharper.

“Pretty much all his life he’s raced in blinkers,” Parnham said.

“I pulled them off in Melbourne in the 2000m race (Alister Clark Stakes).

“He doesn’t have that turn of foot as soon as you put the foot on the accelerator.

“He takes a few strides to get mobile and I think the blinkers on will probably give ourselves a better chance of accelerating quicker than what he was in the Railway.

“Had he worn them in the Railway we may have seen a better result, that’s a personal opinion and hopefully I’m proven right on the weekend.”

Parnham’s jockey-son, Brad is back on Bustler, a year to the day after guiding him into fourth place behind Dom To Shoot in last year’s Northerly Stakes.

Brad’s older brother Steven Parnham keeps his association with Zipaway as he bids to become the most prolific rider of the Northerly Stakes, surpassing Paul Harvey.

Parnham can move one clear of Harvey after guiding Kay Cee (2018) and Playing God (2010-11) for his trainer-father and the Fred Kersley-trained, Ihtsahymn (2013).

Zipaway is $18 in the 2024 Northerly Stakes with Buster $26 with online betting sites.

The Northerly Stakes barrier draw will be conducted at Perth Racing from 4.30pm this afternoon (Tuesday).