Trainer Rodney Northam is hoping his sprinter Big Money will have a fitness edge over last season’s star two year old Capitalist when they line up in the Group 2 $175,000 Missile Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on Saturday.
Big Money above with black and yellow colours, is set to take on Capitalist in the Missile Stakes at Randwick. Photo by Daniel Costello.
Big Money has had a freshened up since running second to Smart Volatility in the Listed $160,000 Crowe Horwath Ramornie Handicap (1200m) at Grafton on July 13 while Capitalist is resuming from a short break after winning the Group 1 $3.5m Longines Golden Slipper (1200m) at Rosehill on March 19.
Co-trainers Peter and Paul Snowden have given Capitalist two barrier trials at Randwick for his return to the track for his Spring Carnival campaign but Northam said his only hope of beating the Golden Slipper winner would be if he was vulnerable at 1200m first up.
But Northam did admit that Capitalist did look good in winning his two 850m trials on July 15 and July 29.
“He looked super race-fit in both trials but the 1200 metres first-up could make him a little bit vulnerable – and that’s all I can find to make him look vulnerable,” Northam told AAP.
Northam said that Big Money has done well since his Ramornie Handicap second and expects the seven year old to be very competitive.
“He’s come through the race really well,” Northam said.
“He went to the paddock straight after it for three or four days and then the rain came so I brought him in.”
Ramornie Handicap winner Smart Volatility was also among the early seven nominations for the Missile Stakes but is also entered for the Group 3 $150,000 Aurie’s Star Handicap (1200m) at Flemington on Saturday.
Kerrin McEvoy will take over from Golden Slipper winning jockey Blake Shinn on Capitalist who will only have to carry 51.5kg under the weight for age scale as an early three year old.
McEvoy has had a feel of the Written Tycoon colt in his two barrier trial appearances and will have to work hard to get down the feather lightweight.
“He’s obviously got to go do it and you hope things go your way, but he’s a highly rated early season three-year-old and if he has the right luck he’s going to be very hard to toss with 51.5kg on his back,” McEvoy told The Sydney Morning Herald.
Capitalist has been installed as the $1.65 favourite for the Missile Stakes at Ladbrokes.com.au ahead of Rebel Dane at $4.20 and Big Money at $6.
