Neville Parnham is looking forward to the return of classy three-year-old September Born, optimistic he can claim another big scalp in the next couple of months.
The Playing God colt has made a big impression in just four starts and Parnham’ thinks the full brother to Group 1 champion Kay Cee can take another step this time in.
September Born posted an eye-catching victory on debut at Belmont last June and came close to a first-up win when rattling home for second in the Belgravia Stakes (1200m)
He went one better next start, claiming his first major success in the Listed Fairetha Stakes (1400m) before ending his carnival campaign in the WA Guineas (1600m) finishing unplaced.
Parnham has a campaign mapped out for September Born, starting low key before eyeing off feature winter races at Belmont.
“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 run at Belmont on June 14 and 28 respectively.
Parnham also gives a glowing report on Bustler and Zipaway, both gallopers headed for cameo winter 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 won the 2023 Group 1 Railway Stakes, defeating Alsephina and Dom To Shoot.
Zipaway won the WA Guineas in 2023 and ran third in the Alister Clarke Stakes (2040m) at Moonee Valley in Melbourne.
The Belmont Sprint, a Group 3 race, is run on May 24 and the Hyperion Stakes, also at Group 3, is a fortnight after.
