Parnham’s classy 3YO nearing racing return

Neville Parnham is excited about the upcoming return of September Born, a promising three-year-old who looks set to make an impact during the winter racing season.

The Playing God colt, who shares bloodlines with Group 1 winner Kay Cee, has already shown he has what it takes, and his trainer believes the best is yet to come.

After bursting onto the scene with a win on debut at Belmont, September Born nearly scored first-up again when flying late for second in the Belgravia Stakes (1200m).

He claimed the Listed Fairetha Stakes (1400m) in his next outing but wasn’t able to figure in the finish of the WA Guineas (1600m) to close his last preparation.

With a new plan in place, Parnham has mapped a path that includes both low-key starts and targets like the Belmont Guineas later in the season.

“He’s been in work for over five weeks now and going along really well,” Parnham said on Tabradio.

“He’s nice and relaxed, not as colty as he was previous times around.

“He’s learnt to be in the stable environment and be a happy horse.

“He’s very sound and stepped up to doing solid even time work.

“He’s getting close to returning to the trials, probably another three weeks or so.

“I couldn’t be happier with him and his targets will be something like the Belmont Guineas (1600m) and Raconteur prior to that.

“He might kick off in a lower class three-year-old event, but he’s shaping up pretty well.”

The Raconteur Stakes (1400m) and Belmont Guineas (1600m) are two key events scheduled at Belmont in June.

Parnham also spoke highly of stablemates Bustler and Zipaway, both of whom are preparing for short but impactful campaigns.

“Bustler’s going along really well,” Parnham said.

“He’ll head to the Belmont Sprint (1400m) and Hyperion (1600m).

“Whether we take him to the next race (Strickland Stakes) over 2000m is unlikely.

“He’s going super and it will be a brief campaign before setting him up for another crack at the Railway Stakes.

“Zipaway is coming along nicely but his quite gross this time around.

“He’s a fraction behind but will head to those same races.”

Bustler triumphed in the Group 1 Railway Stakes last year, besting Alsephina and Dom To Shoot, while Zipaway captured the WA Guineas and later ran third in the Alister Clarke Stakes at Moonee Valley.

The Belmont Sprint is slated for May 24, with the Hyperion Stakes to follow two weeks afterward.