Group 1 winner lands Narrandera double

It’s not every day a Group 1-winning jockey rides at Narrandera, a country race club located in NSW’s Riverina region that hosts three meetings a year.

For those lucky racegoers who turned out on Saturday for the club’s TC Lee Memorial Community Race Day, they were witness to a riding exhibition, as the talented Cory Parish booted home a winning double.

A two-time Group 1 winner for the Lindsay Park operation, Parish won on Boom Time in the 2017 Caulfield Cup before triumphing in the 2019 South Australian Derby aboard Qafila.

Far from the limelight of black type racing, Parish was continuing a successful return to the saddle at Narrandera.

Having won at Seymour on Friday, guiding the Lee and Shannon Hope-trained Camp Cable to victory in the 1400m Maiden Plate, Parish continued that good form on Saturday.

Riding for Seymour trainer Matt Ivill, Parish gave Platinum Executive ($8) a good front-running ride in the 1400m Maiden Handicap.

The five-year-old Magnus gelding was super gutsy, holding on to a long neck victory.

Later on the program, Parish teamed up with Wangaratta trainer Andrew Dale, winning the feature event of the program on Fortis In Armis ($3.90).

Taking on the 1400m TC Lee Memorial Cup, Parish took his chance on the 6YO, with the pair travelling four wide from gate 10 before finding a spot just off the early leader, Oimbari.

From there, Fortis In Armis was too good, winning by a long neck.

Racing fans will be happy to see the 36-year-old enjoying a good run of results.

Parish endured a wretched run of injuries, highlighted by a bulged disk, which kept him out of the saddle for 12 months.

Riding just a combined 16 winners during the 2020/21, 2021/22 and 2022/23 seasons, Parish turned it around in 2024/25, greeting the judge first on 44 occasions.

With the new season kicking off earlier this month, Parish has hit the ground running, booting home three winners.

Racing at Albury on Tuesday, Parish has four rides, including one on the Gary Colvin-trained Party Boss, which will take some beating in the Country Boosted maiden Plate (1175m).

First published by Country Punter - https://www.countrypunter.com.au/group-1-winner-lands-narrandera-double