WA trainer Neville Parnham having another crack at Group 1 Australian Guineas with Zipaway

Zipaway marks top WA trainer Neville Parnham’s latest crack at the Group 1 Australian Guineas, 13 years after going close with the three-year-old’s sire.

Zipaway will be out to outdo his sire Playing God in Saturday’s Group 1 Australian Guineas at Flemington. Picture: Racing Photos via Getty Images

Zipaway could finally give leading Perth trainer Neville Parnham a breakthrough Melbourne triumph in Saturday’s Group 1 Australian Guineas at Flemington.

Parnham has never been afraid to send horses across the Nullarbor to Melbourne, posting 14 wins over the years, including four at stakes level.

However, Parnham is yet to post a Group 1 win from 19 tries.

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Many of those were with the high-class galloper Playing God, who was competitive in top races in Melbourne, including finishing third to Shamrocker in the 2011 Australian Guineas.

Playing God’s son Zipaway will be the latest to attempt a Group 1 success for Parnham in Saturday’s $1m event.

Like Playing God, Zipaway won the Group 2 WA Guineas in the spring but fell short of replicating his sire’s deed of winning the Northerly Stakes as a three-year-old before heading east.

Snow Patrol wins the Group 2 Autumn Stakes! 🙌@MickPriceRacingpic.twitter.com/vkFKWzwNqs

— 7HorseRacing 🐎 (@7horseracing) February 10, 2024

Zipaway ran third to multiple Group 1 winner Zaaki and Dom To Shoot in last year’s Northerly Stakes.

Unlike his sire, Zipaway had a lead-up run in Melbourne before the Australian Guineas.

The gelding finished third to Snow Patrol and Southport Tycoon at his Melbourne debut in the Group 2 Autumn Stakes at Caulfield.

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Parnham’s representative, former star Perth jockey Mark Sestich, said Zipaway performed well at Caulfield but would be better suited over 1600m at Flemington.

“We got off the plane on the Wednesday and he raced on the Saturday and it took him a couple of days to settle in,” Sestich said.

“He was first-up for about eight weeks when he raced in the Autumn Stakes the other day.

“He hit the line really well and was looking for further ground.

“He’s definitely looking for the mile.”

WA trainer Neville Parnham with Zipaway’s sire Playing God at Flemington back in 2011.

While the Autumn Stakes was Zipaway’s first outing since December last year, Sestich said the winner of three of nine starts had fitness remaining from a tough spring campaign in Perth.

He said Zipaway pleased the camp with his gallop at Flemington on Tuesday morning.

“He’s had the benefit of a good campaign in Perth,” Sestich said.

“He won the Guineas and ran third to Zaaki and Dom To Shoot in the Northerly so he’s coming off the back of a really good preparation.

“There’s residual fitness there and his run first-up was fantastic and he’s improved on that.

“He had a good gallop this morning over 1000m and the track rider said he felt sensational.

“We’re looking forward to Saturday. He’s going to be very hard to beat.”

TAB rated Zipaway as a $15 chance in the latest Australian Guineas market in which the Victoria Derby winner Riff Rocket was the $2.80 favourite.

Originally published as WA trainer Neville Parnham having another crack at Group 1 Australian Guineas with Zipaway