While the focus of the Big Brown Sydney Jockey Premiership towards the close of the season has naturally been on the leaders Nash Rawiller and Corey Brown, further down the table the competition is just as strong between colleagues.
Flaming Rock and Josh Parr, picture Sportpix.com.au.
Josh Parr is usually in the Darley maroon silks, but he was pleased to wear yellow and white diamonds silks of Les Samba and Ron Medich at Rosehill on Saturday riding Flaming Rock to win the $70,000, Heliaust Handicap (1400m).
It was a good ride at that, but Parr was full of grins after dismounting and quick to comment that he was now level with colleague Tim Clark on 35 Sydney winners for the season.
Trainer David Payne considers that rising four-year-old Fastnet Rock gelding Faming Rock has been a late developer, although a very consistent one at that with Saturday’s win his third from 12 starts, and with four placings to add to the record.
Payne will spell Flaming Rock now after racing him sparingly through the winter and then prepare him for racing over summer and eventually further distances.
On Saturday Parr waited patiently before asking Flaming Rock to attack the leader The Invincible One (Invincible Spirit) and Tye Angland, and they were some 200m from the line before asked for another gear. Flaming Rock was able to provide this and they went to a 3/4L win, with Ruud Boy (NZ) (Van Nistelrooy) and Jay Ford third.
The time was 1.28.24 and the final 600m in 37.81. Flaming Rock paid $3.20 on NSW TAB.
“We had a nice run in the race and then we were able to peel off their back but he did a good job to pick up the leader,” said Parr.
“On these tracks it takes so much out of them so I was pleased to get home on him so me and Timmy Clark are now 35 apiece so we are going for broke,” he grinned.
Samba and Medich outlaid $610,000 for Flaming Rock, out of the Zedative mare Calming, as a yearling at the 2008 Easter Yearling Sale from the draft of Stratheden Stud. While he has not returned that as yet, there is talent that further time should unlock as Payne suggests. On Saturday Flaming Rock earned stakes of $42,000, plus a BOBS bonus of $20,000, to take stakes to $139,190.
Josh Parr, picture Sporptix.com.au.