He may not have won yesterday's TABtouch-Perth Cup, but trainer Neville Parnham left Ascot racecourse yesterday confident his third success in the race wasn't far away.
Parnham's consistent stayer Demolish produced a gallant performance to finish third behind Casino Seventeen in yesterday's $1 million feature.
Demolish was beaten less than two lengths by the Grant and Alana Williams-trained galloper, a performance which Parnham said could have him well placed to win the event in 2025.
"That will probably be his goal," Parnham told TABradio.
"He's a four-year-old who I think is still learning.
"I thought it might have been a year too early.
"I wasn't sure if I was going to run him and that's the reason I let Steven (Parnham) get off him to ride Diamond Scene.
"He's a really progressive horse that will go better as he gets older."
Parnham also indicated the Railway Stakes wouldn't be "out of the question" for Demolish later this year.
While Demolish fell just short of feature race success on Ascot's New Year's Day card,Ghost Who Walks ensured Parnham didn't leave the meeting empty handed, taking out the Listed Furphy-Summer Scorcher (1000m).
The gelding stormed home to beat Real Danger, as he did in his first Listed win in the Beaufine Stakes (1000m) last July.
Parnham said he had no concerns about the gelding having to lump the 59kg topweight in the $125,000 event.
"His first-up run was super behind Hot Zed, who's a pretty talented horse in its own right," he said.
"He rose in weight but, in my view, he probably dropped in class.
"He trialled up magnificently a couple of weeks back and he's right in the zone."
Ghost Who Walks, who now has a record of 11 wins from 43 starts, will progress to the Miss Andretti Stakes (1100m) on January 13.
Meanwhile, Parnham is set to welcome back WA Guineas winner Zipaway and Railway Stakes winner Bustler to his stable tomorrow.
Parnham said he hoped to campaign Bustler on the east coast through the autumn, while Zipaway and fellow three-year-old Investmentstrategy would likely take their place in next month's Listed Challenge Stakes (1500m).
