ROD Northam is chasing a Muswellbrook Gold Cup as well as some Gunnedah ham this week.
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The Scone trainer will start After All That in Friday’s $100,000 MRS Services Group Muswellbrook Gold Cup (1500m) and then duck up to Gunnedah’s picturesque Riverside Racecourse to try and win some Christmas hams with Born In Barcelona and Bring No More.
After All That has drawn poorly in Friday’s Muswellbrook Cup but will have Robert Thompson on board in the feature race.
“It’s a good race,” Northam said at Tamworth’s Quast Turkey race day.
“He should run well.”
After All That will be charging home at the end of the race looking for a sixth career win at his 23rd start.
He was second to Free Standing in last April’s Country Championship Final at Randwick and has won $292,660 for Northam, who also races him under his R and R Racing banner.
While the Muswellbrook Racing Club has a huge day with some $350,000 in prizemoney on offer on Friday, the Gunnedah Jockey Club also has a big day on Saturday with its Christmas Hams meeting.
“I’ll have two maybe three for Gunnedah,” Northam said.
“Born In Barcelona in a Class 1 and Dreamnomore in a Class 1, too.”
All winning trainers take home a Christmas ham as well.
Tamworth Jockey Club provided a turkey to all winning trainers at Monday’s Quasts Turkey meeting and Northam went home empty-handed from that, making the hams at Gunnedah even more inviting.
“Don’t think I’ve ever won a Christmas ham there,” he smiled.
The feature race at Gunnedah is the $20,000 Mannion Drilling/Ultrafleet Christmas Hams Cup, a benchmarked 65 handicap over 1600m.
William Wain’s Latitat (61.5kg) is the topweight along with Gayna Williams’ Wild Cavalier and Dar Lunn’s Zoutenant while Northam has Hooge (58kg) nominated in the Power Control and Communications Santa’s Sprint B65 (1300m), Born In Barcelona (57.5kg) entered in the Gunnedah Taxi & Cabs Merry Christmas Class 1 Handicap (1000m) and Dreamnomore (56.5kg) running in the Rediguard.com.au Become a GJC Member Today Class 1 Handicap (1400m)