RACING
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A quick conversation with Peter Snowden was all it took for Josh Parr to be persuaded to leave the city lights behind for Kembla Grange on Saturday.
And the Sydney-based jockey's weekend trip to the South Coast was vindicated when he guided Snowden family-trained Thud to victory in the Merry Christmas Maiden Plate (1000m).
Parr, who usually spends Saturday riding at Sydney's metropolitan meeting, coasted to a 1¾ lengths win on the first of three rides for the stable.
"She has shown nice ability for a long time," Parr said after the win.
"You watch each of her starts and [it's clear] she is green, she wanders around, her ears go everywhere. It [Saturday] was good. She ran away from them ... she is a nice filly."
Parr settled midfield on the $1.80 favourite and was poised to strike rounding the turn in the day's opener.
Parr worked the filly off heels to secure clear racing room 250m out and Thud quickly put paid to her rivals to win stylishly from Zin Zan Elsie and Bright Future. The maiden win came at start four.
"She had learned some bad habits racing in front so we brought her back in distance and down in grade to get her back in behind to get her to relax and it worked out nicely," co-trainer Peter Snowden said.
"I feel she can measure up to Saturday class later on but has done a few things wrong and [this race] was a learning curve for her."
The pair again teamed up with Promas (race two) and Anthology (six).
Both finished on solidly to be placed second in maiden events over 1200m and 1500m respectively.
Promas started a $1.70 favourite in the Sleigh Bells Maiden Plate but couldn't overhaul runaway leader Carver ($4.00).
Parr said the best is still ahead of the filly.
"Promas is a nice type yet probably 12-months 'away' [from her best]," he said.
"You won't see the best of her until she puts on about 50 or 80 kilos. Hopefully she can do that because it will just help her.
"If she gets a bit of strength about her, it will help her through periods where she comes off the bit and they bash her around."
After unplaced rides for Allan Kehoe and John Thompson, Parr continued the Snowden partnership on debutant Anthology.
She settled midfield and worked home nicely to finish second behind Chris Waller's Bella Galeano.
"She is a cracker," Parr said. "She doesn't know anything about what she is supposed to be doing ... raw ability is the only thing getting her through."
In race three, Gerald Ryan's Under The Lights produced a quality performance to win the Prancer C2 Handicap (1600m).
After settling fifth with a trail, Chad Lever edged Under The Lights away from the inside with 300m to run and, without too much urging, the son of Zariz held Ring Da Belle at bay to score by a neck. The win was his third at start 13 and came at his first start since being sidelined for 15 months with injury.
The final 600m was put away in a slick 33.77s - wihout Under The Lights being shown the persuader.