Parnham outsider overcomes wayward move.
Seven-year-old Perth sprinter Multinational scored an upset win for jockey Laqdar Ramoly despite racing waywardly in an exciting finish to Thursday’s $150,000 Hannans Handicap (1400m) at Kalgoorlie-Boulder Racing Club.
The Neville Parnham-trained bay, starting at $25.90, hung wide after leading and he only narrowly beat Goldfields mare Secret Attraction ($4.00) while $2.70 favourite Cool Memory ran third.
Multinational delivered WA Racing Hall of Fame inductee Parnham his third Hannans, after triumphs with Royal Rada and Slideway.
Parnham, who will start Snowdome in Saturday’s $1 million Golden Saddle (1200m) at Kalgoorlie-Boulder, has high hopes his stable will land a feature event double.
Ramoly said he had not been alarmed when Multinational ran wide in final stages.
“”He was maintaining his speed though moving outwards over the last 200m,” the jockey said.
“The horse was producing a good kick and I knew he would still win.”
Parnham said he was not surprised by Multinational’s waywardness.
“It’s always been a habit of Multinational to hang in races,” Parnham said.
“He has difficulties with handling corners. Fortunately, he did not cause any interference to rivals when shifting out today.
“It’s been a last-to-first Hannans victory by the horse. He ran last in the Hannans a year ago and pulled up lame.
“I’ve recently given him time off racing, when again aiming for the Hannans and he bounced back to his best. He’s part-owned by Bill Biggs, who has a Goldfields family background, and is elated by the Hannans win.”
Parnham plans to tackle Ascot events with Multinational, a winner nine races. “I expect him to reproduce form he showed today,” Parnham said. “After we won the Hannans with Slideaway about 25 years ago, he went on to run third at Ascot Group 1 level.”
Parnham praised the Hannans ride by his former apprentice, the Mauritian-born Ramoly, who is known as Lucky. “I’m really happy for Lucky,” Parnham said.
“He’s a hardworking rider, who’s very loyal to our stable, and deserves big race success.”
Ramoly said he was grateful to Parnham for giving him the opportunity which led to his first Hannans win.
“The boss has shown a lot of faith in me, putting me on some of his best horses,” Ramoly said.
Parnham said Snowdome, a WA Sires’ Produce Stakes, Prince Of Wales Stakes and Pinjarra Classic winner, was primed to show peak form when racing first-up in the Golden Saddle. “He was very good when winning a Belmont barrier trial on Tuesday,” Parnham said. “I’ve already brought Snowdome to Kalgoorlie. He’s here early to be given a chance to settle in.”
Snowdome has been backed from $16 to $8.50 in TAB fixed odds betting on the Golden Saddle.
Magnificent Andy is a $3.10 favourite for the rich event, ahead of Twain’s Angel ($5.50) and Yonga Lass ($6.50). Top jockey William Pike, to ride Yonga Lass, will have a big following when aboard Starry Heights ($2.60) in Saturday’s $150,000 Kalgoorlie Cup. Starry Heights won last year’s Boulder-Kalgoorlie cups double. He meets the Kalgoorlie Cup’s $2.50 favourite Sentimental Hero on 2kg better terms than when second to him in the 2025 Boulder Cup on September 21.
Ernie Manning – Kalgoorlie Miner 3rd October 2025