Family life has Josh Parr in the right shape to seize the big opportunities

It’s a the big moments that can define a jockey’s career and Josh Parr is making those opportunities count as he enjoys his most successful season in the saddle.

Josh Parr is having his best season yet and is looking to build on it heading into the autumn. Picture: Getty Images

Josh Parr has learned to live for the big moments.

The Golden Eagle-winning hoop has been a mainstay in the Sydney jockeys’ room for the best part of two decades with an abundance of success but a mentality shift has Parr arguably riding better than ever.

Parr, 37, is quietly going about his most successful season ever at the top level with a career best three Group 1s already in the 2024/25 season.

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“I’ve got to the point where when I am judging my performance when it really matters, at the highest pressure moment,” Parr says.

“If I can be successful in those high pressure moments, whether it be a Group 1 or here on a Wednesday, if I can get myself in the right shape, prepare myself properly and win, that’s what gives me the biggest buzz.”

It hasn’t always been that way.

If Parr could talk to his younger self, chances are he’d have a few things to say and do things little different.

But with age comes experience and Parr has taken the opportunity to learn.

“You just look at things differently,” Parr said.

“I think with maturity and the fact that I am older. I think back to scenarios when I was a younger jockey whether it was on or off the racetrack and pretty much handled them poorly through immaturity.

“Now with experience, maturity and a different focus on things, I handle things a lot better now.”

Parr is in a happy place on and off the track.

As is the way for many, starting a family of his own was a pivotal moment in his mentality shift.

Parr and his wife Amanda have two young daughters, Bonnie and Sadie, and he endeavours to make them proud.

“Obviously, my life has changed. I’ve got a family and this isn’t all about me anymore,” Parr said.

“I am here for my family and the more I can win, the better off they are.”

Overpass! That's back-to-back Winterbottom Stakes and he extends his unbeaten record at Ascot to four! 💯

Job done for @BBakerRacing and jockey @JoshuaParr8 ✅ pic.twitter.com/aab8Ajqxfo

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) November 30, 2024

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Like every top jockey, you need headline horses to propel you to the next level.

Right now, Parr has two of them.

Brilliant sprinter Overpass continues to take Parr on an amazing ride with the pair combining to win the Group 1 Winterbottom Stakes and $4m Quokka twice.

Smart colt El Castello delivered him his third Group 1 Spring Champion Stakes victory in the spring and is destined for another major assault in the autumn.

“I am excited for Overpass to come back and El Castello is a very good three-year-old,” Parr said.

“You need those sorts of horses in Sydney when it’s so competitive and week in, week out it’s so difficult to stay competitive.

“If you can get yourself attached to at least one headline horse and make the most of it when the time comes, it’s a big advantage.”

Parr’s focus will be on Sydney on Saturday where he will continue his partnership with one of Sydney’s most in-form sprinters, Disneck, in the Captivant @ Kia Ora Handicap (1300m).

Disneck has put together a hat-trick of Randwick 1200m victories in recent weeks - with Parr riding in two of them – and the son of Trapeze Artist is a $4 equal favourite with Cigar Flick to continue his rampant run of form.

He has gone to another level this preparation.

“I am convinced it’s confidence,” Parr said.

“It’s a combination of confidence in the horse himself and Bjorn Baker in his training, he has worked out how he has to train him to get the horse feeling so good and confident.

How good has the last 3 weeks been for Disneck! 🤩

Disneck powers home for @BBakerRacing 👏 pic.twitter.com/MIBQY7mpU8

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) January 4, 2025

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“A combination of those two is the result we are seeing his last few starts.

“Last preparation he was always a little bit timid and a bit on the light side where this time he is walking around with his chest puffed like he is ready to compete.

“Bjorn has done a fantastic job with that and he’s developed and you’re seeing the results.”

Baker will provide Parr with another of his great chances on the card when the pair connect with Hezdarnhottoo ($3.60) in the Precise Air Benchmark 72 Handicap (1100m).

“Based on Tuesday mornings gallop, I am very confident he can win,” Parr said.

“He has come back down from Queensland and seems to be in really good shape.

“I would say he is a fitter horse this time with the run under his belt and it didn’t go to plan up there for him where he missed the start.

“I am confident he is in good enough to shape to win.”

Parr will attempt to kick off his day with a two-year-old winner aboard Aligned but will have an even greater prize in mind when he partners another Peter Snowden-trained juvenile less than 24 hours earlier.

He will warm up for Saturday’s card at the rescheduled Magic Millions meeting at the Gold Coast on Friday night.

Parr is set to hunt a maiden $3m Magic Millions 2YO Classic (1200m) on the Snowden-trained Quietly Arrogant ($14).

Parr is aboard the promising son of 2016 2YO Classic winner Capitalist for the first time under race conditions but has been impressed with what he’s saw.

Quietly Arrogant missed the placings on debut at Randwick before winning his second start the Sunshine Coast on January 4.

Hezdarnhottoo breaks his maiden in the first from Randwick! @[e-mail]/CmvdcK5H7M

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) March 27, 2024

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A wide draw will make life tougher this time.

“It’s a bad draw but I loved two-year-olds backing up off a victory a week later because it shows you they are obviously in good form and full of confidence,” Parr said.

“They don’t have to have anything done to them during the week and they turn up ready to go.

“It’s a little bit different now though because we are nearly a week later and he’s not so much on the back-up but he still won well enough on the Sunshine Coast to suggest he will be finishing strong if a couple go quick and are found wanting late.”

Bosustow, the half-brother to Group 1-winning mare Amelia’s Jewel, will go in search of a significant payday in the $3m Magic Millions 3YO Guineas (1400m).

Parr partnered the Annabel Neasham and Rob Archibald-trained colt last start when he was slowly away before finishing off strongly for sixth in the Group 3 Vo Rogue Plate at Eagle Farm.

“In the barrier he just rocked and rolled a little bit and just slightly missed the jump and in a negative position,” Parr said.

“I liked his final 400m though, he was strong to the point where he just started getting tired, inside the last 50 or 60m when his run came to an end.

“With natural improvement and progression, he showed be ready to go on Friday and I am confident enough that he is a decent chance.”

Originally published as Family life has Josh Parr in the right shape to seize the big opportunities