News - PLAYING GOD (AUS)
The closing stages of the 2026 Listed Raconteur Stakes (1400m) saw a desperate finish unfold all the way to the post, as Dion Luciani's star WA's star three year old filly Hot And High (Too Darn Hot) fought like a tigress to retain her undefeated status in the face of an equally determined challenge from up and comer Vatican Storm.
Consistent five year old Rissoles claimed her first stakes victory when she produced a dominant performance to take the Listed Sheila Gwynne Classic ( formerly the Matchmaker Classic) over 1400m at Ascot, a race won last year by Royal Ascot contender Generosity.
The G3 Roma Cup of 2026 provided Ascot racegoers with a thrilling finish, in which battle hardened Albany galloper Rope Them In (Playing God) brought to an end the undefeated status of race favourite Smooth Chino (Maschino) who was chasing his seventh consecutive win.
Successful in the Listed WATC Ascot 1000 Guineas two starts back before third in the Listed WATC Natsha Stakes last time out, Daniel Morton’s 3yo Playing God filly Wonderfully Made was simply sublime in the rescheduled the $300,000 G3 WATC W.A. Oaks (2400m) on Wednesday, pulling clear by more than four lengths for owners China Horse Club.
Hot favourite Wonderfully Made turned the Listed Ascot 1,000 Guineas into a one act affair yesterday and the talented filly has the upcoming WATC Oaks in her sights.
After the excitement of Magic Millions Day at Pinjarra Park, summer racing returned for an enjoyable Sunday afternoon at Ascot, with the feature event on the program being the Listed Challenge Stakes for the state's leading three year old sprinter milers and of course the winner was by Playing God.
Western Australia’s champion sire Playing God achieved a notable career milestone on Saturday when his son Almighty Class notched up a quarter century of stakes winners for the remarkable stallion, posting a commanding victory in the Listed Cyril Flower Stakes.
Adam Durrant won the Listed WA Breeders Classic back in 2020 with his good gelding Money Matters, and the leading trainer notched up another victory in the 1200m southwest feature - the richest provincial race for 3YOs in the state - with gifted filly Playin’it Sweet (Playing God) scoring a determined win.
Astute trainer Brad Widdup was a visitor to the Perth Magic Millions Yearling Sale in 2024 and he signed for four yearlings with the most expensive being a filly by Western Austalia’s champion sire Playing God and she made a winning debut at Scone on Tuesday.
Melbourne Cup day always draws a huge crowd out to Perth's beautiful old Ascot racecourse, and 2025 was no exception!
Quality sprinter Rope Them In produced his trademark first up burst of acceleration to claim a second stakes victory in a thrilling finish to the Listed RS Crawford Stakes (1200m) at Ascot.
Darling View Thoroughbreds is home to the best stallion in Western Australia and statistically one of the best in the country with Playing God set to remain at a fee of $49,500.
Simon Miller has maintained from day one that his Playing God three year old West Star is a horse with “x-factor” and the gelding proved it yesterday with an absolutely dominant win in the G3 Northam Stakes.
The WA autumn carnival is about to hit top gear in coming weeks with a slew of Group races and the $5million Quokka and the state’s best stallion Playing God got in early with a new stakes-winner last Sunday.
The all time record price for a colt at the Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale was broken on Thursday with a youngster by Playing God topping proceedings when selling for $450,000.
A new record price for a colt at the Magic Millions Perth Yearling was set early on Day One which was also a new record for a colt by his sire Playing God.
Some interesting two-year-old trials around Australia on Monday with a couple of first season sires showing up, a high priced Horses In Training graduate and a pointer to one selling at Magic Millions Perth this week.
The catalogue for the 2025 Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale, featuring 350 outstanding youngsters from the state’s premier thoroughbred nurseries, as well as a select group of lots from the eastern states, is now online.
Darling View Thoroughbreds Playing God enjoyed a remarkable Saturday at Ascot, siring the winners of three of the five stakes races.
Second in the Listed Fairetha Stakes twelve months ago, Rope Them In cracked it for a Group III win in Saturday’s Colonel Reeves Stakes (1100m) at Ascot.