A fee increase at the beginning of the 2024 season from $33,000 to $49,500 (inc GST), was well and truly justified after Playing God sired three of the five stakes winners on the Ascot card.
Rope Them In kicked off Playing God’s tremendous day taking out the G3 Colonel Reeves S. (1100 metres), before Mojo Rhythm caused somewhat of a boilover to defend his title in the G3 R.J Peters S. (1500 metres) while Baby Paris put the cherry on top with a comprehensive all-the-way victory in the Listed Jungle Mist Classic (1200 metres).
“It’s pretty surreal to be honest, for Playing God to get three stakes winners in a day – it was an unbelievable moment,” Stud Manager of Darling View Thoroughbreds Brent Atwell said.
“The last couple of weeks he’s had a new stakes winner and now he’s had three on the day.
“Last year he had such a big day with Bustler winning the Group 1 and that was just amazing, and obviously we always want to win Group 1s, but to have three stakes winners on a day is simply outstanding.
“(For Playing God) to have three stakes winners on a day is simply outstanding.” - Brent Atwell
“He is an extremely good stallion, and I have no doubt if he was on the other side of the country, he’d be standing close to $100,000 or more.
“I have spoken to some people in the Hunter but nothing has ever come of it.”
Mojo Rhythm and Baby Paris were both homebred while Rope Them In was purchased for just $60,000 by Commercial Bloodstock Services P/L (FBAA) from the Willaview Park draft at the 2022 Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale.
All three have achieved extraordinary returns for their owners with Rope Them In returning nearly $700,000 in prizemoney, Mojo Rhythm netting over half-a-million in earnings for the Ott family, while Baby Paris has won nearly half of her 20 starts and claimed over $800,000 in stakes for Gary Bowen.
Playing God has now sired six individual stakes winners this season and 22 stakes winners in total; headed by Group 1 winners Kay Cee and Bustler however Atwell believes the best is yet to come.
“It is quite exciting moving forward seeing what he is doing, I’ve always said he’s going to go to another level, which is kind of hard to say with where he is at now but he’s covering better and better mares every year,” Atwell said.
“It doesn’t always eventuate like that, but I think you have to say he’s got bigger and better things to come.
“Yesterday was unbelievable but it won’t be the last time we see him get a few stakes winners on a day.”
Playing God | Standing at Darling View Thoroughbreds
Playing God’s numbers have continued to be strong with the quality of mares visiting also increasing year on year, illustrated by his fee gradually rising from a low of $4400 in his first three years to now 10 times that.
Strong support continues
Atwell noted amongst the ‘better mares’ to see Playing God this year was the dam of Group 1 winner Sheeza Belter (Gold Standard), Saxabelle (Saxon). Sheeza Belter sold for $1.35 million to Yulong Farm at a special Virtual Auction held by Magic Millions on the Gold Coast in 2023 after winning the R. Listed Magic Millions WA 2YO Classic at Pinjarra before heading to the eastern states to win the G2 BTC Sires’ Produce S. before an outstanding win in the G1 JJ Atkins.
Brent Atwell | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
On top of this he also saw the return of the dams of G1 Railway S. winner Bustler, and the highly promising September Born (Playing God), who’s currently the short-priced favourite for the WA Guineas on Saturday.
“His numbers have been good, and he had strong support again,” Atwell said.
“He covered the dam of top filly Sheeza Belter as well as the dam of his own Group 1 winner, Bustler.
“Bustler is still a very good chance going towards the Railway (Stakes) and then into the Goldrush and I think the most exciting horse out of all of them is September Born, he looks very exciting going forward,” Atwell said.
Bustler, winner of the G1 Railway S. | Image courtesy of Western Racepix
“I think he has some big races in him and his mother Flirt 'N' Hope returned to Playing God this year. Cosmah Domination, the dam of the sale-topper last year and the mother of Bustler also came back to him.”
The Neville Parnham-trained September Born could follow in the footsteps of his sister Kay Cee who ran second in the 2019 WA Guineas before claiming the G1 Kingston Town Classic (1800 metres).
Playing God runs at an amazing 70 per cent winners to runners and over 9 per cent stakes winners to runners, a feat enviable anywhere in Australia.
These results have led to increasing averages year on year with Playing God having his best year on record in the sales ring this year with 39 yearlings averaging nearly $120,000 at the Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale in 2024.
“They are going to be well sought-after at the sales again, but really who wouldn’t want one in their stable,” Atwell said.
“They (Playing God's yearlings) are going to be well sought-after at the sales again, but really who wouldn’t want one in their stable.” - Brent Atwell
Playing God stands at Darling View Thoroughbreds for $49,500 (inc GST) alongside fellow sires Splintex and Lightsaber, who stand at $11,000 (inc GST) and $6600 (inc GST) respectively.
