“It used to be an easy decision, but now they’ve split [features over two Magic Millions meetings]. It’s probably better, I guess, having the lead-in, then you can get horses backing up as well.”
The 37-year-old has been down on his number of winners over the last year and a bit, but his prizemoney return has improved. In 2022-23, Parr had 64 victories and stakes of $8.3 million. Last season the breakdown was 39 wins for $13.3 million. After five months of this campaign, he has 22 victories for $5.7 million.
Josh Parr won the Spring Champion Stakes on El Castello.Credit: Getty Images
Three of his 12 career group 1 wins came late in 2024, when El Castello won the Spring Champion Stakes, Overpass went back-to-back in the Winterbottom Stakes and Captured By Love took out the New Zealand 1000 Guineas.
“It has been a very good year in regards to winners in major races,” Parr said.
“I’m not riding the amount of winners that I once did per season, but what has increased are the major races, the group 1s and the high-prizemoney races, which is what it’s all about, and I’m proud to be able to perform at that level.”
Joe Pride-trained Accredited looks Parr’s best chance on Saturday. He shoots for three on the trot in the fourth, a benchmark 88 handicap (1800m), and was a $1.60 Sportsbet favourite.
‘The decision had to be made whether to go to the Coast or to stay here, and it was looking better to stay here.’
Josh Parr on his weekend plans
“He’s in really good form and Joe has a knack of being able to keep those horses in form, so you can be confident he’s going to turn up there in the style that we’ve seen him the past couple of runs,” Parr said.
Bjorn Baker-trained Disneck ($2.60) is on the quick back-up in the seventh, a benchmark 88 over 1200m, after winning last Saturday. Baker said the flying finisher, which is also chasing a hat-trick of victories, would run.
“He’s got that particular style that probably isn’t the easiest to watch, but you just have to be really negative on him at the start, to give him his finish,” said Parr, who won on Disneck two starts ago.
Parr was also set to ride unbeaten Baker-trained filly Arriving Home ($5) in the fifth, but she was scratched from Randwick, and the Gold Coast, on Thursday.
He had other good chances with Godolphin’s Cryoseisms ($4.50) in the two-year-old maiden race, Vegas Raider ($9.50) for David Pfieffer in the Midway Handicap and the Chris Waller trio of Bright Red ($6), Unlimited ($11) and For Victory ($9).
Pride, meanwhile, said Accredited “will be really hard to beat”.
“He’s going good,” he said. “I’m just working him through the grades, being a gelding, and he’s going well. He’s a nice horse in the making.”
Stablemate Excelladus is also in the race.
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“It’s an honest horse, but he probably wants the wet track to do his best,” Pride said.
He also welcomes back Cosmonova ($5.50), which finished last preparation with two city wins, in the ninth.
“She was meant to run at Warwick Farm the other day, but she was scratched at the barrier when she played up,” he said.
“She’s now had an extra trial, so that’s three trials, which has her well set up to go back to the races.
“I think she’s a really nice horse. She’s already won at Saturday grade, so I think the autumn, the winter, she could progress through the grades.”
In Flight ($4), in the seventh, was another chance for Pride.
“She’s being going great so she deserves a win, and she will probably get her chance there on Saturday,” he said.
“I could have run her in the listed race [at Canterbury on Wednesday], but I’ve saved her for Saturday. The step out to 1200 will be perfect for her.”
