Cory Parish rides Petrology to a thrilling win (Image: Racing Photos)
Cory Parish dashed hopes of a fairytale result for Craig Williams in the Travis Harrison Cup (1600m) when he partnered Petrology to an overdue win at The Valley on Saturday.
The narrow victory – Petrology’s first since May last year – came at the expense of Williams’ mount, Horsham galloper Magic Consol, who looked the winner before being nabbed in the shadows of the post.
The annual race is named in honour of Williams’ cousin, the talented apprentice jockey that was killed in a car accident in 1996.
Petrology’s co-trainer Tom Dabenig praised Parish’s ride on the five-year-old and said he was delighted to reward the 27-year-old’s hard work with his eighth metropolitan win of the season.
WATCH: Petrology's thrilling win
“He was in that wide line with cover and just had the perfect suck into it and Cory was strong on him in the run to the line,” Dabernig said.
“He (Parish) is at the farm five or six days a week and if they do the work we put them on.
“He’s really improved as a rider, tries really hard and listens to instructions.
“He’s really good with the whip in the left so he can get some of those old thinkers going.”
Dabernig said Petrology would next tackle the Listed Winter Championship Final (1600m) at Flemington on 8 July in an attempt to atone for his narrow defeat behind Iggimacool in last year’s race.
The second-placed finish was Williams’ best result of the day as the champion jockey again fell behind in the Metropolitan Premiership race as Beau Mertens edged one ahead with his win on Darren Weir’s Stylish Miss in the Kane Construction Handicap.