Rodney Northam’s Scone-based galloper Big Money continues his Brisbane Summer Racing Carnival raid this Saturday at Doomben with the last start George Moore Stakes champ nominated for the Lough Neagh Stakes 2014.
George Moore Stakes winner Big Money is back for the 2014 Lough Neagh Stakes this weekend. Photo: Daniel Costello.
The Choisir gelding is one of 16 nominations taken for this year’s $175,000 Listed Lough Neagh Stakes (1350m), the handicap clash possibly to feature the first three over the line in the Group 3 George Moore Stakes (1200m) from a fortnight ago.
Winner of the Group 3 WJ Healy Stakes (1200m) – Listed Ramornie Handicap (1200m) double during the winter, Big Money has again been racing well this time in.
His latest start produced a one and a quarter length George Moore Stakes win, continuing his nice form in Queensland.
Now the Lough Neagh Stakes could also be his for the taking, especially if there is a bit of rain around in Brisbane again leading up to Saturday with the horse boasting four wins and two seconds from six starts on a Soft-rated track.
George Moore Stakes runner-up Someday and third placegetter Cape Kidnappers are both also nominated for the Lough Neagh this weekend.
Tony Gollan’s local Falvelon six-year-old Someday is after his first win in 12 months when he took out the listed Brisbane Handicap (1600m) at Doomben in mid-December last year.
This time in he’s produced two more fine efforts at the track off a lengthy spell, the first a fourth in the Listed Keith Noud Handicap (1200m) and then his second to Big Money on December 6.
Group 1 winning trainer Gollan has also nominated for the in-form Whiskey Allround shooting for his fourth straight win.
The All Bar One four-year-old was last seen two weeks ago winning over the 1200m at Doomben in a Class 6, Saturday his first step back up to black-type company since finishing dead last (14th) in the Listed Queensland Day Plate (1200m) back in May from the outside barrier.
Veteran Commands seven-year-old Cape Kidnappers meanwhile represents Brisbane’s Kelly Schweida and boasts an excellent record of four wins and two minor placings from seven starts at Doomben.
He won the Listed Chief De Beers (1100m) here in May before his Listed Lightning Handicap (1000m) win at Eagle Farm in the winter, and was also runner-up in the WJ Healy before his first-up third in the George Moore.
The Keith Noud Handicap quinella from November 22 is also in the mix for Saturday with the winner Time To Plunder and narrow runner-up Finishing Card both out to improve on unplaced runs in the George Moore having run seventh and eighth respectively.
Other notable Lough Neah Stakes nominations include Kelso Wood’s progressive Stratum filly Elitist, her stable mate Into The Red coming off a fourth in the George Moore when beaten under two lengths, the Robert Heathcote-trained Riva De Lago and Vandalised coming off back-to-back wins back in Rockhampton.
See below for the full Lough Neagh Stakes 2014 nominations, the final field due out on Wednesday.
Before then make sure you’ve got an account open online at Ladbrokes.com.au – home of the summer’s hottest racing markets!
2014 Lough Neagh Stakes Nominations
Doomben Racecourse – 20/12/2014
| # | Horse | Trainer | Hcp. Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ABADDON (NZ) | Paul H Duncan | 80 |
| 2 | ADEBISI | Desleigh Forster | 102 |
| 3 | BIG MONEY | Rodney Northam | 104 |
| 4 | CAPE KIDNAPPERS | Kelly Schweida | 101 |
| 5 | CUM DIVIDEND | Liam Birchley | 89 |
| 6 | ELITIST | Kelso Wood | 66 |
| 7 | FERMENT | John Pointon | 90 |
| 8 | FINISHING CARD | Shane Edmonds | 92 |
| 9 | HARADA BAY | John, Dan & Chris Meagher | 89 |
| 10 | INTO THE RED | Kelso Wood | 85 |
| 11 | RENEWED VITALITY | John P Thompson | 85 |
| 12 | RIVA DE LAGO | Robert Heathcote | 100 |
| 13 | SOMEDAY | Tony Gollan | 99 |
| 14 | TIME TO PLUNDER | Liam Birchley | 95 |
| 15 | VANDALISED | Jamie McConachy | 91 |
| 16 | WHISKEY ALLROUND | Tony Gollan | 89.5 |
