Parnham weighing his Kingston options
Steven Parnham is weighing up whether to ride Ihtsahymn or WA Guineas victor Rommel in Saturday week's $500,000 Tabtouch Kingston Town Classic (1800m).
Parnham faced the same conundrum a year ago when he had to choose between Playing God or Ihtsahymn, the reigning WA Guineas winner.
He elected to partner Ihtsahymn and was vindicated when the three-year-old claimed the Group 1 feature.
The 29-year-old qualified Rommel for WA's weight-for-age championship when he ended the unbeaten streak of Disposition in Saturday's Group 2 WA Guineas (1600m).
Rommel, a $140,000 yearling purchase by his father and trainer Neville at Gold Coast last year, sat on a hot speed and fought on strongly.
Parnham was delighted at how well Rommel came through his win.
"I took him for a walk and he was just full of beans," Neville Parnham said yesterday. "To be honest with you he doesn't know he has been around in a race.
"Three-year-olds have a very good record in there (Classic) and I've won the race with a three-year-old.
"A three-year-old won it last year. With that 7kg pull off the older horses it has an impact for a good three-year-old.
"He is just peaking. He took a while to get fit and to get him in the right frame of mind.
"I think he can be the same or a better horse next start.
"Steven is in exactly the same position as last year with an up-and-coming three-year-old and a horse who has won him a lot of races.
"He hasn't made a decision, but he'll wait for the next few days and make it from there.
"It is going to be hard for him.
"It was the pull in the weights which swayed his decision last year and he pulled the right rein because Playing God ran a gallant fourth but he couldn't haul him in."
The TAB yesterday wound Rommel into $13 for the Kingston Town, behind Railway Stakes winner Elite Belle at $5.50 and Railway placegetters Moriarty ($6.50) and Balmont Girl ($7.50).
Disposition is at $7.50, but owner Bob Peters in unsure whether he will take his place in the field.
"If Disposition starts bouncing around, he may run," Peters said.
"He ran a very good race on Saturday, but I'm not too sure whether the 1800m might be too far and he may be better suited dropping back to 1400m under set weights."
"He hasn't made a decision, but he'll wait for the next few days … It is going to be hard …"" * Neville Parnham *
