Trainer Rodney Northam is confident that Big Money is a much fitter horse ahead of his second-up assignment in the 2016 Expressway Stakes at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.
Big Money will have the chance to return to winning form in the 2016 Expressway Stakes. Photo by: Daniel Costello
Big Money returned to the races in the Summer Sprint (1000m) at Royal Randwick on January 16 and he produced an uncharacteristically aggressive performance in the early stages of the race before he tired late to finish third behind Boss Lane and Gojo Mimo.
Northam believes that Big Money took plenty out of benefit out of the first-up run and he told Racing Ahead this morning that he expects a much improved performance from the Choisir gelding in the Expressway Stakes.
âI am really happy,â Northam said,
âHe came through his first-up run nice, he has improved fitness wise and I am looking forward to Saturday.
âHe had the big weight, the track was a little bit affected and after they went 50 or 100 metres he has seen a bit of daylight on the apprentice and he raced a bit uncharacteristically up on the speed leading.
âWith that run under his belt he should be able to take a nice sit on Saturday and fitness wise it has bought him on really good.
âHe runs well second-up and he always tries his hardest.
âI am happy going in with a run under my belt rather than a couple of soft trials.â
Big Money was ridden right on the speed when he returned to the races in the Summer Sprint, but he has generally produced his best performances when ridden as a run-on sprinter.
Veteran hoop Robert Thompson has a great deal of experience riding Big Money and he is hopeful that the six-year-old will be able to settle just behind the likes of Our Boy Malachi and Tiger Tees in the early stages of the race.
âOur Boy Malachi and Tiger Tees are probably going to run a long a bit, so he should be able to get the drop on them,â Northam said.
âI would say we will be midfield or maybe a little closer.
âHopefully they run along at a genuine tempo and we will get the chance to finish off.â
Big Money is currently available at 2016 Expressway Stakes odds of $12 with Ladbrokes and he is on the fourth line of betting behind Our Boy Malachi ($2.30), Generalife ($3.50) and Solicit ($6).