Parnham keeps faith in Railway outsiders

Friday 22 November 2013, 1:55pm

Leading Perth trainer Neville Parnham insists he holds a stronger hand than bookmakers give him credit for in the $1 million Railway Stakes.

Parnham has full brothers Playing God and God Has Spoken in the Group One race which has eastern states horses dominating the market at Ascot on Saturday.

Playing God and God Has Spoken have been ranked among Western Australia's best gallopers at various times of their careers, banking more than $2.6 million prize money between them.

But they have been written off against Victorians Smokin' Joey and Plucky Belle and the Queensland visitors Fire Up Fifi and Longport.

Of the pair, Parnham says it is Playing God, a $21 chance, who is in the right form to win the Railway.

"I think he is going as well as he was two years ago," Parnham told the Perth Racing website.

Playing God won the Group One Kingston Town Classic as a three-year-old and went back-to-back a year later.

He broke through for his first win since that 2011 triumph with a Group Three victory in the Northerly Stakes at Ascot last month.

Luck then deserted the six-year-old in the Lee Steere Stakes.

"I thought his Lee Steere Stakes run was as good as his Northerly Stakes win," Parnham said.

"I think he is an excellent chance on Saturday."

Parnham is using the 2012 Railway Stakes as a guide to God Has Spoken's chances.

"He ran a super race in last year's Railway Stakes (when fifth) when he was probably underdone," Parnham said.

Emirates Stakes runner-up Smokin' Joey holds down Railway favouritism at $4.40 with the Peter Moody-trained Plucky Belle at $7.

In the Group One support sprint, Buffering has been the only shortener in early Winterbottom Stakes transactions.

Trying for his third Group One win on the trot, Buffering has firmed from $2.40 to $2.30 with last year's winner Barakey ($4.80) considered his biggest danger.

– AAP

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