Defining Ash Wednesday triple success for Most-Improved Trainer 2025 — Peter-John Parsard
Voted as the Most-Improved Trainer in 2025, Peter-John Parsard continued his career progression with a defining triple on the 10-race Ash Wednesday (February 18) programme.
In 2025, Parsard, a third-generation conditioner, saddled 32 winners to finish fifth in the trainers’ championship from 120 starts for a win percentage of 27.
He entered the Ash Wednesday race day with three victories from 15 starts, and five second and third-place finishes.
Parsard started his triple run in the second event, when his US-bred four-year-old filly, Miss Marabella, with Dane Dawkins at the reins, disposed of rivals with ease coming down the five straight chute. This was Miss Marabella’s second success from eight career starts. She was clocked at one minute for the distance. Bowmore (Raddesh Roman) was second, with Brompton Boy (Javaneil Patterson) third.
The second win of Parsard’s triple came in the fourth. In an unusual occurrence, Bangarang raced from the number one barrier in a field of 11. In a straight contest with the returning former champion Anthony Thomas in the irons, he had to battle hard to get the better of
Legal Fight (Shavon Townsend).
It is a rare feat for a horse to win a straight event from the one draw, as on average, 95 per cent of the time, horses drawn on the outside rails are successful in straight races. Bangarang clocked a winning time of 48.2 seconds for four furlongs. It was the grey colt’s second career success from eight starts.
Closure of Parsard’s triple came in the seventh, with a facile victory in a claiming contest by the down in class five-year-old grey mare, Midnight Galaxy, partnered by Shane Ellis, who was recording his first win this season. Little wonder 44 claims were submitted for Midnight Galaxy.
Midnight Galaxy won by 13 lengths, with Ellis a mere passenger for most of the 7 ½ furlongs. High Diplomacy (Reyan Lewis) finished second. Sweet Victory (Romane Gordon) placed third. The final time was 1:35.4 seconds.
Bangarang, the second winner of three for trainer Peter-John Parsard enjoys the attention in the winners’ circle with jockey Anthony Thomas (Photo: Garfield Robinson)
COOLING DOWN! Trainer Peter-John Parsard (left) spraying his third winner, Midnight Galaxy with water as part of the cooling down process (Photo: Garfield Robinson)
