Mile trip to suit Odyssey Moon: Northam

Monday 13 April 2015, 4:02pm

Country-trained Odyssey Moon will be given his chance to secure a Group One win that promises to be more than a reward for being the last horse standing out of this year's Golden Slipper.

Odyssey Moon is confirmed for his seventh start in his first season of racing in the Champagne Stakes at Randwick on Saturday.

He will line up as the only survivor from the Golden Slipper and the Sires' Produce Stakes.

"At the start of the prep we were trying to get him into the Golden Slipper," Scone trainer Rod Northam said.

"But we always thought the Sires' Produce and the Champagne were going to be his best distances.

"And it's probably worked out they way because he ran so well in the Sires' and I think the mile of the Champagne should be right up his alley."

Odyssey Moon finished eighth to Vancouver with Ryan Moore in the saddle in the Golden Slipper.

Damien Oliver took over in the Sires' Produce and the colt earned nominal Champagne Stakes favouritism when sharing second behind Pride Of Dubai.

A Champagne Stakes win will also ensure Odyssey Moon has some future as a stud prospect as a Group One-winning son of leading sire Snitzel.

Champagne entries have been extended until Tuesday morning after only nine youngsters were nominated for the 1600m race.

The Barrister and Reckless Russell are entered to back-up after winning and finishing third respectively in the Fernhill Handicap at Randwick on Saturday.

Trainer Gary Moore has nominated Takedown as the gelding tries to improve a winning sequence that includes victories in the Black Opal Stakes and Baillieu Handicap.

Northam confirmed Stradbroke Handicap prospect Big Money will resume in the Hall Mark Stakes with Robert Thompson booked to continue a successful association.

"Whatever he does on Saturday he'll improve on because the Stradbroke (in June) is going to be his main aim," Northam said.

There are 19 nominations for the Hall Mark including Our Boy Malachi and Craftiness, two sprinters with impressive winning streaks which are also heading towards a Stradbroke Handicap start.

– AAP

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