Impressive last start Doomben winner Big Money headlines the nominations for the Listed $175,000 Lough Neagh Stakes (1350m) at Doomben on Saturday.
Big Money, above, headlines the nominations for the Lough Neagh Stakes at Doomben. Photo by Daniel Costello.
The Lough Neagh Stakes is gearing up to be a re-run of the Group 3 $200,000 Channel Seven George Moore Stakes (1200m) at Doomben on December 6 with the first five placegetters all entered for this weekend.
The Rodeny Northam trained Big Money was back in the winner’s circle in the George Moore Stakes with Someday, Cape Kidnappers, Into The Red and Riva De Lago filling the next four placings.
While Time To Plunder (7th), Adebisi (8th) and Finishing Card (11th) all went around in the George Moore Stakes and are also included in the sixteen nominations for the Lough Neagh Stakes.
Big Money was a winner during the 2014 Brisbane Winter Carnival in the Group 3 $175,000 W.J. Healy Stakes (1200m) at Eagle Farm and then went on to win the Listed $150,000 Ramornie Handicap (1200m) at Grafton on July 9.
Another win over the Brisbane Summer Carnival for Big Money will tempt Northam to return for the 2015 Winter Carnival with his eyes set on higher targets.
Northam said that if Big Money continues to perform well he would consider a tilt at Group 1 company in the $750,000 Doomben 10000 (1350m) at Doomben on May 23 and the $2m AAMI Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) at Eagle Farm on June 6.
“The Doomben 10,000 and the Stradbroke look to be lovely races for him,” Northam told.
“Winter is the time where he can realistically win a good race instead of running a nice fourth or fifth.”
Someday has had two runs for new trainer Tony Gollan, after being prepared by Eagle Farm trainer Kelso Wood, and has performed creditably with a one length fourth to Time To Plunder in the Listed $100,000 Brisclean Keith Noud Handicap (1200m) at Doomben on November 22 followed by a one and a quarter lengths second to Big Money in the George Moore Stakes two weeks later.
The Kelly Schweida trained Cape Kidnappers will be stepping up to the 1350m for the first time and will strip fitter following his first up third in the George Moore Stakes.
Cape Kidnappers was having his first start since running second to Big Money in the W.J. Healy Stakes after beating the New South Wales trained sprinter at his previous start in the Listed $100,000 Evergreen Turf Lightning Handicap (1000m) at Eagle Farm on June 7.
