Zipaway’s presence in Saturday’s Lee Steere Stakes (1400m) has given jockey Steven Parnham an early decision to make on a feature race ride.
Parnham was set to ride Zipaway in last week’s Asian Beau Stakes (1400m) and Bustler in the Lee Steere, but Zipaway was scratched on race morning.
It forced Parnham’s father and trainer Neville to start the four-year-old first-up in this week’s $250,000 event, while Bustler made his return in last month’s Group 3 Eurhythmic Stakes.
It also forced Parnham to make an early choice between last year’s WA Guineas winner and last year’s Railway Stakes winner.
Parnham said it was tough to split the pair and indicated no final decision had been made on who he would ride in the Group 1 Railway Stakes later this month.
“It’s always a tough decision to separate them,” Parnham told Racing WA Thoroughbreds.
“Zipaway is first-up and will improve off the run.
“Bustler had the run under his belt and gets in better at the weights this weekend.
“Things could still change next start, but it just depends on how the two go this week.”
Little separated the pair when TABtouch markets opened for the Group 2 event, with Zipaway rated a $9 chance and Bustler at $13.
The pair have since tightened up even further in the market with Zipaway at $8.50 and Bustler at $11.
Parnham said he urged punters shouldn’t be dissuaded from teaming up with Zipaway, to be ridden by Laqdar Ramoly, on Saturday.
“They worked together this week, and they are working as well as each other,” he said.
“Zipaway is going as well as ever.
“He’s going to have a bit of freshness in his legs first-up which will put him in good shape for this week.
“The run will bring him on further too.”
Parnham has also picked up the ride on the in-form Diamond Scene in the Listed Luckygray Stakes (1800m) on Saturday.
Parnham said he felt the $125,000 event came at the right time for the Michael Grantham-trained galloper.
“I rode him in the Perth Cup and he felt like a nice animal,” he said.
“He’s shown in two runs back that he’s taken development on and I’m looking forward to riding him on Saturday.”
Saturday’s Ascot card gets underway at 12.34pm.
