KERRY Parker got a surprise confidence boost for Well Timed when he arrived at Royal Randwick on Saturday.
"I went into the raceday office to get a ticket for my partner, and they gave me a racebook as well,” the Kembla Grange trainer said on Sunday.
“Think It Over was on the front cover, so it was a great start to the day (Parker’s now retired champ beat Zaaki and yesterday’s winner Fangirl in the $1m 7Stakes at the same meeting 12 months ago).
Parker’s day got even better when his talented four-year-old Well Timed, who races in the same colours as Think It Over for owner Richard Johnston, clinched another city victory.
Ridden by Think It Over’s regular jockey Nash Rawiller, Well Timed ($3.40 favorite) defeated a late-finishing Sharp Shock ($13) and Thunderlips ($7) in the Nick Moraitis Trophy (a Benchmark 78 Handicap, 1400m).
It was Well Timed’s second metropolitan success – both at Randwick – from his last three starts, and fourth overall from only 11 racetrack appearances.
“He is doing a terrific job, and we still haven’t found his ceiling yet,” Parker said.
“Well Timed has pulled up well but that was his fourth start in the last six weeks since returning to racing.
“We have been trying to get his benchmark rating up, and I’m thinking about giving him a break for a week or 10 days.
“If we look after him, I’m sure there’s every chance he will look after us in the long run.”
In view of that, Parker can’t say for certainty yet whether Well Timed will get to be tested in richer company this spring.
He nominated him for the $10m Golden Eagle (1500m) at Rosehill Gardens (1500m) at Rosehill Gardens on November 2, but doubts his benchmark rating will be sufficient to get him into the field.
“You have to nominate them just in case, but we’ll have to wait and see if he gets there,” Parker said.
“It’s obviously worth big money, and I ran a close fourth with Hope In Your Heart (to last year’s The Everest runner-up I Wish I Win) two years ago.
“There’s also The Gong at home later in November to give some consideration to as a lightweight chance, otherwise we can look ahead to the autumn.”
Parker’s Think It Over was third at $41 to Archedemus in the 2020 $1m The Gong (1600m) at Kembla Grange, and then Hope In Your Heart ($7.50) was narrowly beaten by Riodini in the 2022 renewal.
Parker had a crack at the Provincial-Midway Championships earlier this year with Well Timed, but things went awry in the Wildcard (1400m) at Newcastle, where all three placegetters made the Final (1400m) at Randwick.
After finishing third in a Qualifier at home (the first two placegetters got into the Final), Well Timed kicked out at the barrier prior to the start.
He suffered abrasions to his hind legs and was a late withdrawal.
Wyong trainer Mark Howard and Central Coast jockey Jenny Duggan’s trip south on Sunday paid off at the Nowra meeting.
Howard and Duggan combined to take the F&M Benchmark 58 Handicap (1100m) with $11 chance Senalda.
The five-year-old Exosphere mare beat fancied pair Queen Calanthe ($4.20) and $2.60 favorite Champ De Mars.
Senalda, who has now won two of her nine starts, was the only runner for her trainer and only ride for her jockey.
Story John Curtis, September 22, 2024
Comments