Sweet decision

A decision by jockey Chris Parnham to switch hands with his whip proved a winning move with Sweet Mischief at Morphettville on Saturday, October 13.

With about 250 metres left to go in the Martin Plunkett Communications Handicap (1800m), Sweet Mischief was in a line of four horses but was struggling to assert her superiority when Parnham switched the whip from his right to left hand.

Suddenly, the four-year-old mare lifted and drove between runners to score a half-length win as the $2.45 favourite from dead-heaters Igitur ($7) and Sandison ($9).

The victory gave trainer Tony McEvoy a two-state double as he won the Group 3 Thoroughbred Club Stakes at Caulfield with Sunlight minutes earlier.

The win was Sweet Mischief’s second this preparation following a brilliant seven length win at Gawler on September 26.

South Australian stable foreman praised Parnham’s ride.

“Chris rode the mare perfectly,” Cornell said. “He had her perfectly placed in the run and made that crucial decision close to home to lift her to victory.

“She has come back really well this preparation.

“We’ve always had a bit of an opinion of her as we ran her in black type races last spring including the VRC Oaks and I’m sure Tony will continue to place her to advantage.”

Sweet Mischief was picked out by the McEvoy Mitchell team at the 2016 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale and cost $110,000.