It was a sunny Thursday on September 7th last year when Kerry Parker pulled into the Hawkesbury float parking area with three horses on board his trusty angle loader. One of the trio was three year old colt Well Timed, scheduled to have his fourth race start in an 1100m maiden. “He’d run second at Kembla as a late two year old and had shown me a fair bit on the track at home,” Kerry recalled. “I expected him to run a big race at Hawkesbury and I was absolutely stunned when he finished well back in the field.
“He seemed to run his race in patches that day. He’d stride out smoothly for a bit, and then he’d shorten stride for a bit. He didn’t appear to be the type of colt who’d have “undercarriage” problems, but I could sense something was wrong. With the sanction of owner Richard Johnston we decided to geld him immediately and put him away for a long break. I knew he was much better than he’d shown me at Hawkesbury. Mind you the day wasn’t a complete write-off. We won the very next race with Jessandi making the trip back to Kembla much more pleasant.”
It was a full five months before Well Timed was seen out again at the Kembla trials. He comfortably won his 800m “jumpout” with Brock Ryan in the saddle and wouldn’t have blown a candle out on pulling up. His attitude was professional and his action faultless. Kerry immediately nominated for a Nowra maiden two weeks down the track and wasn’t surprised when the gelding came up as a $3.00 favourite. He “flew” the gate and parked outside the leader before kicking clear at the 200m. He gamely held off Zouripper, a recent Canterbury winner.
Brock Ryan was the rider when Well Timed won his maiden at Nowra in February - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
Next assignment was an 1100m BM64 at Hawkesbury, and once again he came up “short” at $2.70. He was trapped three wide to the first turn where Brock Ryan elected to accept his fate. He was happy to cruise along outside two leaders to the turn before darting clear on straightening. Broadway Bouncer took significant ground off Well Timed in the last bit but failed by half a length. “The two wins were not exactly off the map, but he was racing tractably and trying hard,” said Kerry. “It was time to raise the bar.”
And raise the bar he did to a Provincial-Midway Championship Qualifier over 1400m on a Heavy 8 at Kembla Grange. His task was made even more formidable when he came up with the extreme outside gate in a fifteen horse field. Not surprisingly he’d drifted to $18.00 by post time, but his supporters got a hell of a sight. Brock Ryan speared Well Timed out of the gates obviously intent on having a crack for the lead. It took the gelding the best part of 300m to cross his rivals, using up plenty of petrol in the process. He led clearly at the 200m with Ryan finding a good lane right in the middle of the track. Ruby Flyer and Victory Lane found even better going on the extreme outside and were able to grab Well Timed in the last fifty metres. “Had he qualified for the final we probably would have pressed on,” said Kerry. “In finishing third he missed the cut, but what a good run it was. His potential was really starting to emerge, so we decided to put him away again.”
This spell worked wonders with the soon-to-be four year old. Following two soft trials he resumed in a Randwick Midway on August 10th finishing a strong closing second to Bundeena. He comfortably turned the tables on that horse in another Randwick Midway two weeks later and followed that with a creditable third to Uzziah in a BM78 on the same track. Predictably his faultless form saw him go out a solidly supported favourite in Saturday’s Nick Moraitis BM78. He left the gates with his usual “ping” but Nash Rawiller immediately looked for midfield cover, and by the first turn was in seventh spot one horse off the fence. With Gitalong setting a solid pace in front Nash was able to take his time and didn’t move until they topped the rise where Well Timed was a good seven lengths from the leader. Then came the best part of his race. The Nicconi gelding let down so quickly that he had the leaders covered just inside the 200m and went right on with the job. Sharp Shock was very good late to take a little ground off the winner.
Well Timed (Nash Rawiller) came from midfield to win the Nick Moraitis Trophy at Randwick - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
“He got a little further back than I expected but with so much pace on, he was probably better off ridden that way” said Kerry Parker. “It was good to see him hit the line so well. He’s looking more like the horse I thought he was. I’m not sure where we go from here. He needs to get his benchmark up a bit before he’ll be considered for better class races. Look there’s no hurry. I’m more inclined to keep him ticking over until the end of the carnival when an easier race will be available. It’s a very long spring ahead. You probably won’t see him for a month.”
The win rounded off a productive twenty four hours for evergreen veteran Nash Rawiller. A day earlier he’d landed a Gr 3 double at the Newcastle Cup meeting - the Tibbie Stakes on consistent mare Terra Mater, and the Cameron Hcp on Here To Shock for Ben, Will and JD Hayes. Nash looked confident a long way from home on Well Timed. “I was always travelling well, and felt I had full control of the race,” he said. “They went quickly up front and I knew my bloke would be strong at the finish. Kerry has placed this horse very well to get his confidence up, and to teach him his craft. He can definitely win better races in the future.”
Nash Rawiller's Randwick win on Well Timed came the day after his Gr. 3 double on Newcastle Cup day - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
To watch Well Timed winning at Randwick in Richard Johnston’s very identifiable dark blue and orange silks, brings a feeling of deja vu to the respected Kembla trainer. Kerry trained the remarkable Think It Over for all but six of his forty two starts and all but one of his fourteen wins. The gelding just happened to pick up three Gr 1’s along the way- a George Ryder, Queen Elizabeth Stakes and Verry Elleegant Stakes. His fourteen wins and thirteen placings accumulated $8,496,000 in prize money.
Think It Over was six weeks into his 2022 spring campaign when he presented with an off-fore tendon tear, rated a three out of five by veterinarians. Boundless patience and painstaking care from his trainer got Think It Over back to the races, albeit for just seven more starts which netted two wins in million dollar events. It was obvious the gallant veteran was not himself when a struggling fourth to Via Sistina in this year’s Ranvet Stakes at Rosehill. “Richard Johnston and I were on the same page and made the immediate decision to call time on his wonderful career,” recalled the trainer. I’m delighted to say the horse is in wonderful health in the Hunter Valley and is currently being schooled for the hacking pursuit. Whatever he does, he’ll do it as well as he can.”
This was the day Think It Over went almost to the outside fence before grabbing Zaaki on the line in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
Kerry knows Well Timed will never be Think It Over, but he’s delighted to have a genuine horse who’s proving competitive in city company. Kerry learned the game of patience from several old world trainers like Les Bridge. He spent five years as stable foreman for Bridge in the mid 1980’s and regards that time as the most rewarding period of his life. Kerry’s inherent patience has already been to the fore with Well Timed, and will continue to be as the Richard Johnston homebred works his way towards an eventual black type target.
Kerry Parker works a 30 horse team at Kembla Grange and that's his preferred number - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
(Banner image - Well Timed makes it 2 from his last 3 at Royal Randwick - courtesy Bradley Photographers.)