Darling View champion Playing God provided Ridgeport Farm owner Santo Guagliardo with his second city winner this week when All Play returned from an injury-enforced spell to land the Guinness Hcp (1000m) at Ascot on Saturday.
Guagliardo is also the managing part-owner of Playing God filly Nickelplay who will graduate to black-type company next month following her impressive maiden win at Belmont on Wednesday.
All Play (Photo / Western Racepix) was bred and sold by Ridgeport and Mogumber Park for $110,000 at the 2022 Perth Magic Millions and Guagliardo kept a share in a stable partnership with trainer Trevor Andrews and his wife Joanne.
He had won on debut at Belmont last September but a second campaign lasted just three starts in January – February before he was sidelined for over eight months. “He has plenty of ability but battled feet issues during his last prep,” Andrews said. “He was also running on nerves so we fitted a crossover noseband and lugging bit.”
All Play was handful again as a hot favourite on Saturday when Shaun O’Donnell attempted to settle him one-out and one-back behind Last Stylebender (Harry Angel). He managed to overhaul the leader close to the post and the reason for the errant behaviour was apparent back in the enclosure.
Stewards reported he was bumped on jumping and returned to scale with a sore near-side eye that required veterinary treatment.
All Play’s dam Castle Keep (Oratorio) is a winning half-sister to Lord’s Ransom (G2 Perth Cup) and Palace Intruder (LR Aquanita Stakes). She had been purchased for $16,000 by Mogumber Park at the 2020 Mungrup Stud Dispersal carrying All Show.
Castle Keep was later sold to Victorian-based Nelson Thoroughbreds for $25,000 at the 2022 Inglis February (Early) Digital Sale carrying a filly by Ridgeport Farm stallion Rommel. That filly is now a 2yo and the mare’s latest foal is a colt by Dirty Work (Written Tycoon) born in September.
Ridgeport Farm stands Rommel (Commands) for $6,600 alongside Ducimus (Snitzel) at $5,500.