Another pleasing effort by Big Money in the Group 3 $175,000 W.J. Healy Stakes (1200m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday will see the country star head to Grafton for the Ramornie Handicap.
Big Money is one of the main chances in the W.J. Healy Stakes at Eagle Farm. Photo by Steve Hart.
Big Money came from well back in the field when second to Cape Kidnappers in the Listed $100,000 Evergreen Turf Lightning Handicap (1000m) at Eagle Farm on June 7.
And trainer Rodney Northam expects the Choisir four year old to be right in the finish again stepping up to the 1200m for the first time this campaign.
“He didn’t really get a chance to travel but he picked up in the straight and once Tim asked him to get going he charged and hit the line,” Northam told AAP.
“We’ve always had an opinion of him and he’s just got better as he’s got older.”
Robert Thompson replaces Tim Bell on Saturday but Northam said that the top New South Wales jockey has ridden him before and should have no trouble slotting him into a nice position from the outside gate.
“He jumps and then just takes twenty-five metres to get going so hopefully he can slot in somewhere,” Northam said.
“Robert has ridden him a couple of times and he knows the horse, he will just have him where he is travelling.”
Northam is then off to Grafton with Big Money to run in the Listed $150,000 Ramornie Handicap (1200m) at Grafton on July 9 and is hoping the rain stays away.
“Grafton has always been the plan” Northam said.
The Scone trainer would have dodged the Healy Stakes had the track been wet but is happy to send the gelding around on a good surface.
“If it was going to be wet I would have trialled him instead of going to the Healy but the track looks like it is good and the horse has done well,” Northam said.
Northam will also saddle up Myamira in the Group 1 $500,000 Sky Racing Tattersall’s Tiara (1400m) and gives the five year old mare a rough chance of causing an upset.
“If they run along up front she could be a knockout chance,” Northam said.
Big Money is well in the betting for the W.J. Healy Stakes with Ladbrokes.com.au quoting the country trained sprinter a $5.50 chance.
The Grahame Begg trained Bennetta heads the market order at $3.70 just ahead of Lightning Handicap winner Cape Kidnappers at $4.20 with Seeking More from the Kelso Wood stable at $8.
Myamira is marked as a $51 chance in the Tattersall’s Tiara.
