Scone trainer Rod Northam went close to a breakthrough Group One during the Sydney autumn but is hoping his time comes in Saturday’s Doomben 10,000.
Northam will saddle up Big Money in the $750,000 weight-for-age race, one of the Group One targets the trainer has had in his sights for the gelding for almost a year.
“I had in my mind after he won the Healy Stakes last year that the Doomben 10,000 and the Stradbroke would be the races we would target this winter,” Northam said.
Big Money ventured north during the summer to win the George Moore Stakes at Doomben over 1200m and then the Lough Neagh Stakes over 1350m.
“That was my plan during the summer, to take him up there for a couple of runs and run him over the 1350 at Doomben just to give him a look at the track and the distance so we can go there on Saturday and know that’s not going to pose any problems for us,” Northam said.
Big Money finished sixth, beaten just over 2-1/2 lengths in the Group One BTC Cup at Doomben second-up and Northam said the sprinter has improved.
The BTC Cup, Doomben 10,000 and Stradbroke Handicap were the three targets this campaign with Northam viewing the conditions of the Stradbroke as probably the most suitable.
But he believes the gelding, to be ridden by Robert Thompson, can give the race a shake on Saturday and is confident he will run well.
“He’s had a few little feet issues all preparation but he worked really nicely this morning and his feet haven’t been a problem since his last start,” he said.
Northam’s best Group One result was two-year-old Odyssey Moon’s second in the Sires’ Produce Stakes last month.
