Jockey Chris Parnham has combined with a horse trained by his father Neville to win a sprint race at Flemington.
Parnham had only previously ridden Malibu Style once in a race, for a win in a Listed event in Perth in 2016, and maintained his perfect record aboard the six-year-old gelding in Saturday’s Grampions Region Handicap (1100m).
“It’s a big thrill to get the win for Dad,” Parnham said.
“I didn’t really expect him to win today but it was good that he stuck his neck out and he really tried hard, so that was good to see.
“I haven’t ridden him much but when I’ve ridden him he has gone well.”
The win on Malibu Style came a few days after the jockey brought up his 100th winner for the season, the first time he has achieved that feat.
Just over 90 of those wins came in Western Australia before he recently returned to Victorian racing.
Malibu Style ($21) scored by a neck over Divine Quality with 1-1/4 lengths to Labuan Star.
A double to Damien Oliver at the meeting has kept him in touch in the Melbourne jockeys’ premiership race.
Oliver combined with trainer Danny O’Brien for wins on Lycurgus in the High Country Handicap (2520m) and three-year-old filly Remember The Name in the Macedon and Goldfields Handicap.
The dominant win of boom sprinter Nature Strip in the Great Ocean Road Handicap (1100m) put Damian Lane back one win in front of Craig Williams at the top of the premiership on 48 wins.
Apprentice Ethan Brown is five wins back while Oliver’s double has moved him to 42 wins.
Remember The Name was stepping up to 1600m and made it back-to-back Flemington wins, building momentum in the straight to score by 1-1/4 lengths.
“Her win here the other day was very good and it was only her second start back from a long break so she was always going to improve a bit today,” O’Brien said.
Darren Weir registered a winning double with Nature Strip and Silentz while the Lindsay Park stable had a race-to-race double to start the meeting with Good ‘n’ Fast and Miles Of Krishan.
