Big Money Racks Up Another Doomben Win

Jockey Robert Thompson believes Big Money can be a Group One competitor in the winter carnival after he won a incident-riddled Lough Neagh Stakes at Doomben.

Cape Kidnappers ($6) knuckled over at the start of Saturday's Listed race and sent his jockey Damian Browne tumbling to the track.

An uninjured Browne was able to get up and watch the race unfold from afar.

Thompson gave Big Money the run of the race and he came away to complete the George Moore Stakes-Lough Neagh Stakes double in easy fashion.

Trainer Rodney Northam stayed home in Scone and stable spokesman Isabelle Chandler said Big Money would now spell with the Brisbane winter carnival in mind.

"Rodney wanted to test him today out to the 1350 metres," Chandler said.

"There is a chance the (Group One) Stradbroke handicap will be run at Doomben over 135 next year.

"He isn't a big horse but he has a big heart as you saw with his effort under 59.5 kilograms today."

Thompson was full of praise for Big Money who he said was always travelling well.

"I suppose he would have to improve two lengths to be a chance in a Stradbroke. But you have to be in it to win it," he said.

"I'll tell you one thing he could have won with 62kgs today and he won't have anything like that in a Stradbroke or other top class races."

Big Money has now won nine of his 15 starts and with nearly $600,000 prize money, he will have no problems qualifying for the big winter carnival races.

Whiskey Allround ($2.70) ran second and was far from disgraced after leading into the straight.

Jockey Tim Bell said Whiskey Allround had fought on well but Big Money had sprinted too well for him.

Earlier veteran sprinter Phelan Ready ($6) claimed just his fourth win in the XXXX Gold Open (1200m).

Phelan Ready won the Magic Millions Classic-Golden Slipper Classic double in 2009 but did not win another race until August this year as an eight-year-old.

Trainer Jason McLachlan said Phelan Ready had spent three weeks at the beach since coming back from Melbourne where he was scratched on Melbourne Cup day with a foot abscess.

"I sent him to Wishbone Farm (in the Glass House Mountain region) and they have had him at the beach," McLachlan said.

"He can have another go at the Magic Millions Cup after he got beaten a lip in it last year."