Parnham in Valley raid
Top apprentice Chris Parnham will ride at Moonee Valley on Friday night before returning to Perth to pilot Bass Strait in Saturday's $250,000 CB Cox Stakes (2100m) at Ascot.
Currently serving a careless riding suspension, Parnham took the opportunity to ride trackwork in Melbourne when approached by Mornington trainer Wez Hunter.
The 17-year-old has a busy schedule, flying back to Perth the morning after riding at Moonee Valley ahead of Bass Strait's tilt at the Group 2 Cox Stakes.
"I've been over here since Thursday riding a bit of trackwork at Flemington and Mornington," Parnham said.
"I'm riding work at Moonee Valley on Monday and Caulfield on Tuesday.
"It's a pretty good experience and it's a good thing to do while I'm suspended. At this stage I'll ride at Moonee Valley Friday night and possibly during the day (at Yarra Valley) as well."
Hunter was based at Parnham's father Neville's Ascot stables this spring with Smokin' Joey, who ran fourth in the Group 1 Railway Stakes (1600m) and Group 1 Kingston Town Classic (1800m).
Bass Strait gave Parnham the biggest win of his career in last month's Group 3 RJ Peters Stakes (1500m). The former Victorian galloper hit the line powerfully when sixth in the Railway and Kingston Town.
"He was a good run last start," Parnham said.
"He probably just got a bit too far back. Hopefully he'll be a bit more forward in the Cox Stakes."
Parnham is staying with jockey Damian Lane in Melbourne.
Lane will return home to spend Christmas with his family and ride at the ATA Handicap (2200m) meeting on Christmas Eve and Perth Cup (2400m) day on January 1. He will ride Cougar Nights, an impressive winner of Saturday's Country Challenge Final (1500m), for his trainer father Michael on Perth Cup day.
"Damian's coming home so hopefully I can give him a winner at home," Michael Lane said.
·Trainer Vaughn Sigley will aim Black Heart Bart at the Cyril Flower Stakes (1200m), Bunbury Stakes (1400m) and Pinjarra Classic (1300m) early next year.
Black Heart Bart backed up his Carbine Club of WA Stakes (1400m) victory last month with a brilliant 3 ½ length win at Ascot on Saturday.
"He'll go to the paddock now and we've mapped out his next few races," Sigley said.
"He's an out-and-out sprinter. He likes to sit off them and relax and explode late."
Sigley has another talented four-year-old in his stable, He Or She, who recorded his third straight Ascot win on Saturday.
"It's a pretty good experience and it's a good thing to do while I'm suspended.""Jockey *Chris Parnham *
