Neville Parnham lavished praise on Grey Enigma, a barnstorming winner of the Tabtouch Supporting The Industry Handicap (1200m)at Belmont on Wednesday.
Grey Enigma gave most of his rivals a start at the top of the straight but unleashed with a blistering finish to claim victory over Big Red’s Back by a half length.
Jockey Paul Harvey settled last on Grey Enigma and allowed the race to unfold with odds favourite, Furious Dame, going at a fast clip in front.
However, the $1.80 fancy, ridden by Lucy Warwick, couldn’t sustain the momentum and after looking the winner in the straight, faded to third.
Parnham expressed his admiration for Grey Enigma who posted successive wins and fought back from a serious illness at York two months ago.
“He got very sick and that’s why he hasn’t had a run for a while,” said Parnham.
“He had temperatures of 41 degrees for about ten days and had some fluid on the lungs.
“He came good and had been working well”
Parnham said the pace of the race suited Grey Enigma and he wasn’t concerned when Furious Dame had set up a commanding lead.
“I wasn’t that worried to be frank,” said Parnham.
“Furious Dame goes out hard and fast but doesn’t have a lot of strength at the finish.
“They went that hard I thought they would have come back.
“He had a good turn-of-foot and finished solidly.”
Meanwhile, in the Carlton Draught Handicap (1000m), In the Mood caught punters and her new trainer, Viv Ferrier, by surprise.
The Bletchley Park mare, previously with Aaron Bazeley, was sent out as one of the rank outsiders but defied her rating with a runaway win.
In The Mood was sent straight to the front by her rider, Shaun O’Donnell, and held that position throughout, scoring by one length.
“I thought that she would get to the front, pull herself into the ground and collapse in a big heap half way up the straight,” said Ferrier.
“I’m trying real hard to be excited but I’m surprised and shocked.
“She has just been hard work but I have to thank a young lady Kerry Gibbs.
“She is a horse masseur who has done a lot of work on this mare.
“50 to 60 per cent of this win is because of her work.”
Julio Santarelli