Big Money Included In Ramornie Handicap Field

Big Money scored a narrow win over Cape Kidnappers in the W.J. Healy Stakes.

Big Money scored a narrow win over Cape Kidnappers in the W.J. Healy Stakes. Photo by: Daniel Costello

Talented sprinter Big Money has been included in the 2014 Ramornie Handicap field and he will have the opportunity to improve his already impressive record when he contests the Listed event at Grafton on Wednesday.

Big Money has recorded six wins and four placings from his ten race starts to date and stamped himself as a sprinter to watch with a couple of eye-catching performances during the 2014 Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival.

The Choisir gelding started his winter preparation with two straight wins at Muswellbrook and Scone before making his black type racing debut with a fast-finishing second behind Cape Kidnappers in the Lightning Handicap (1000m) at Eagle Farm on June 7.

Cape Kidnappers and Bennetta were both well-backed in the lead-up to the Group 3 W.J. Healy Stakes (1200m) at Eagle Farm on June 21, but Big Money was able to make up almost ten lengths in the final 400 metres to score the biggest victory of his racing career to date.

Big Money will carry 56 kilograms with veteran jockey Robert Thompson on his back in the Ramornie Handicap on Wednesday and has drawn ideally in barrier one for the Listed event.

Hidden Warrior has been allocated the top-weight of 59 kilograms by Racing New South Wales officials and he will start next to Big Money after drawing barrier two in the Ramornie Handicap barrier draw.

The Hidden Dragon gelding returned to the races with a fair fourth place finish behind Avoid Lightning in the Listed June Stakes (1100m) at Royal Randwick on June 7 and he will be chasing his first win at black type level since he took out the 2012 edition of the Group 3 Red Anchor Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley on October 27.

Another Ramornie Handicap contender that fared well in the barrier draw for the $150,000 race is Testarhythm, who will jump from barrier three on Wednesday.

Testarhythm started his winter preparation with a impressive win over a strong field in the Listed Ortensia Stakes (1100m) at Scone on May 17 and made up plenty of ground later when third behind Oakfield Commands and Zaratone in the Winter Dash (1200m) at Royal Randwick on June 21.

One of the most interesting runners in the Ramornie Handicap field is Gai Waterhouse-trained Under The Sun, who will be returning to the races for the first time since he failed to beat home a runner in the Listed National Sprint (1400m) at Canberra on March 9.

Under The Sun looked as though he was going to progress and become a contender at Group level when he scored a dominant win in the Listed Winter Stakes at Rosehill Gardens last year, but the No Excuse Needed gelding has performed poorly in each subsequent race start and was most disappointing in his three race starts during his 2014 Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival campaign.

Territory (barrier 13), Rocky King (barrier nine), Startsmeup (barrier six), Liesele (barrier eight), Mr Favulous (barrier 12), Villamill (barrier 11), Jet Style (barrier seven), Bandit Queen (barrier four) and Cheval Du Feu (barrier ten) round out the 2014 Ramornie Handicap field.

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Thomas Hackett

Thomas is a passionate and opinionated racing journalist and punter who has been obsessed with horse racing since he backed Saintly to win the 1996 Melbourne Cup. An international racing enthusiast, he has his finger on the pulse of racing news not just from Australia but all around the world.