Playing God back with a bang at Ascot
Playing God scored his first win in almost two years when he upset his more fancied rivals in the $125,000 Northerly Stakes (1400m) at Ascot.
Rated a $23.80 outsider on tote, Playing God was given little hope second up from a spell with the 59.5kg topweight.
But the two times Group 1 Kingston Town Classic winner proved his doubters wrong, running on strongly to grab Rohan on the line to win by a short neck in a busy finish.
Race favourite Platinum Rocker was another short neck away in third and Luke's Luck was a close up fourth.
Playing God recorded his first win since his second Kingston Town triumph in 2011.
Connections retired the stallion in the winter but decided to give him one last crack at the Ascot summer carnival.
"He's been flying," trainer Neville Parnham said.
"Everyone has written him and God Has Spoken off, but I think they're both superstars.
"His run first up was really good.
"He'll go on to the Lee-Steere, Railway and Kingston Town."
Regally bred filly Arcadia Rose staked her claim on upcoming Ascot features with a solid win in the $100,000 Crown Perth Belgravia Stakes (1200m).
Starting a hot $2.60 favourite, Arcadia Rose settled perfectly in fourth for jockey William Pike in running.
She closed the to the lead halfway down the straight and held off the fast-finishing Petrol Power to win by a long head.
Coruscation was game on defeat when a close up third while Arcadia Rose's stablemate, Hudson River, ran an eye catching fourth.
Arcadia Rose created a big impression with brilliant wins at her only two starts at Northam and Belmont Park.
She will be set for the Burgess Queen Stakes (1400m) in a fortnight and the $200,000 Champion Fillies Stakes (1600m) next month.
"It was good to see," owner Bob Peters said.
"She looked as though she was going to get a bit keen but then she settled.
"She got in at the set weights and penalties very well.
"That was a very good field with a lot of good horses."
Peters said Hudson River was also a quality horse.
Jockeys Peter Knuckey and Glenn Smith are under injury clouds after separate falls at Ascot.
Knuckey is scheduled to see a specialist after injuring a knee when he fell from Our Emily Mia shortly after the start of race six.
It is understood Knuckey has suffered an injury to the same knee before and his immediate fate is under a cloud.
Smith suffered a suspected rib injury when he fell from Hard To Express in the straight of race four.
Smith was transferred to hospital and may have also suffered an injury to his spleen.
