Chris Parhnam reunites with Magnifisio in A.J. Scahill Stakes

Leading Perth apprentice Chris Parhnam will reunite with Group 1 winning mare Magnifisio in the Group 3 $200,000 A.J. Scahill Stakes (1400m) at Ascot on Saturday.

Sidestep was one of the horses to receive interference in the Winterbottom Stakes at Ascot. Photo by Steve Hart.

Sidestep was one of the horses to receive interference in the Winterbottom Stakes at Ascot. Photo by Steve Hart.

Parhnam has ridden Magnifisio on seven occasions in the past for four wins and finds himself on the Jim Taylor trained mare at the expense of Jason Brown who is on the sidelines through suspension.

Brown has been aboard Magnifisio at her last two starts for wins in the Group 2 $250,000 Waroa-Lee Steere Stakes (1400m) and the Group 1 $750,000 Crown Perth-Winterbottom Stakes (1200m) at Ascot.

Taylor was full of praise for Brown’s ride and his mare Magnifisio after their Group 1 victory.

“It just a great ride from Jason, he is as good as anyone here and the position that he got her in was perfect,” Taylor said after the Winterbottom Stakes.

“Just a great effort and she is just a great mare.”

And it was his ride in the Winterbottom Stakes that saw Brown fall foul with the Stewards for causing interference shortly after the start in the weight for age Group 1 sprint.

Brown pleaded guilty to a charge of careless riding in that he allowed Magnifisio to shift in at the 1000m causing interference to Waterman’s Bay and Sidestep and was suspended from midnight on November 22 until midnight December 8, 2014.

Parhnam is also facing a stint on the sideline after being found guilty of careless riding for his winning ride on Castle Retreat at Ascot last Saturday and will begin his time out after riding on Saturday.

Stewards claimed Parhnam allowed Castle Retreat to shift outwards at the 400m in the $60,000 Westspeed 3yo Handicap (1100m) causing interference and will start his suspension at midnight on December 6 and is out until midnight December 18, 2014.

Parhnam is riding in great form and has snatched the lead in the Perth apprentices premiership table with twenty-one wins from Lucy Warwick who has twenty wins after riding a double at Ascot last weekend, Castle Retreat and He Or She in the BenchMark 60+ Handicap (1500m).

The in-form apprentice also rode a career-best win when he steered Bass Strait to victory for his father Neville Parhnam in the Group 3 $150,000 R.J. Peters Stakes (1500m) at Ascot on November 15.

About The Author

Mark Mazzaglia

Mark is a passionate journalist with a life-time involvement in the racing industry. He spent many years as an analyst and form expert at the Courier Mail and also has hands-on experience working with some of Queensland’s top trainers.