"My grandfather, Tom Russell, raced horses and he trained for a time, too. I've been more into the show hunters, but I did work for thoroughbred trainers Jeff McVean and Sheila Laxon for a while. I also worked with polo ponies."
Tom Russell enjoyed success as an owner of Sly Gance from Jim Gibbs' stable and also raced Just A Glance with some success from Ray and Sharon Johnson's stable, also at Matamata.
Though having this link with the thoroughbreds, Parnwell had no intention of owning or training a galloper.
But that all changed when she became the partner of Lammas.
And it was through Lammas that she got Grey Power, a promising galloper who won his sole start as a two-year-old before breaking down.
"I hate grey horses and I wasn't keen on even looking at him but then Cam talked me into it. He told me he was a nice big horse who could make a good show horse," said Parnwell. "I went to look at him and there was not much wrong with him apart from being grey. I thought he could win a few champion show classes."
Parnwell worked Grey Power up with a show career in mind, but the fitter the horse got, the keener she and Lammas became in racing the horse.
"We asked Gary [Hodel] if we could try and get him back to the races and he agreed," said Parnwell.
"He's kept a 10 per cent share in him."
Grey Power ran third at Matamata on May 9 in his first start for Parnwell and in his first race for more than two years and on the strength of that performance he looked a big chance yesterday.
After sweeping up wide nearing the home turn it was obvious Grey Power was the horse to beat and he strode clear over the final stages to win by three lengths from Northern General, who just collared Pogue.
Parnwell plans to give Grey Power just another run before putting the horse aside.
Earlier on yesterday's programme, Cambridge trainer Ross McCarroll switched his attention from two of the biggest races in the world to a maiden race at Arawa Park.
McCarroll and his wife, Delwyn, are holidaying in America with the cause for their trip being a chance to witness the running of the Preakness and Belmont Stakes races.
The couple picked up some expense money for the trip when Royal Sceptre and Priceless won at Matamata a few days before their departure and are now travelling around America after watching the Preakness Stakes, the second leg of the America Triple Crown, the first leg being the Kentucky Derby.
In their absence the stable has been running smoothly and at Arawa Park yesterday another win came the way when Fine Line, a first-starter by Align, won the Ruck N Maul Sports Bar 1230 in a desperate finish.
Fine Line looked to be beaten halfway down the home straight, but rallied well for apprentice rider Chris Dell to take the event by a neck from Oh Em Gee, while there was a gap of two and a quarter lengths to third-placed Hey Bruce.
