The step up to the 1350m in the Listed $150,000 Lexy Group Lough Neagh Stakes at Doomben on Saturday will suit Too Good To Refuse according to trainer Desleigh Forster.
Too Good To Refuse, above, is among the nominations for the Lough Neagh Stakes at Doomben, Photo by Daniel Costello.
Too Good To Refuse will be stepping out for the fourth time this preparation in the Lough Neagh Stakes and Forster thinks it is the right time to step the Rothsay four year old up in distance after he ran on from the back of the field to finish fifth to Most Important in the Group 3 $200,000 IPG Connect George Moore Stakes (1200m) at Eagle Farm on December 3.
“I think the 1350m will suit him better,” Forster said.
“He has come up well after the run and will back up in the Lough Neagh.”
Premiership winning Brisbane jockey Jim Byrne was been aboard Too Good To Refuse in all his three outings this campaign and gets the ride again in the Lough Neagh Stakes.
“Jim Byrne is sticking with him,” Forster said.
Byrne had his first ride on Too Good To Refuse for a first up second to Prompt Return in an 1110m Doomben Handicap on November 5 and then the pair combined for a win in the Listed $100,000 Keith Noud Quality (1200m) at Eagle Farm on November 19.
Too Good To Refuse was then sent out as the $2.90 favourite for the George Moore Stakes but after settling near the tail of the field for Byrne, found the task of reeling in the placegetters too tough and was beaten just over three and a half lengths from the winner.
Too Good To Refuse is one of eleven horses nominated for the Lough Neagh Stakes with interstate gallopers making up a third of the entrees.
The Rodney Northam trained Big Money, Coolring from the Bjorn Baker stable, Joe Pride’s last start winner Kuro and the Peter Robl trained Ninth Legion could be heading North for the feature sprint race at Doomben.
Tony Gollan has nominated Most Important who beat Coolring in the George Moore Stakes and Kelly Schweida has entered his Group 1 winning mare Miss Cover Girl who will be fitter for her first up fourth in the George Moore Stakes.
Lough Neagh Stakes nominations: Big Money, Coolring, Flamboyer, Kuro, Lucky Tom, Miss Cover Girl, Most Important, Ninth Legion, Shoreham, Spot The Diff, Too Good To Refuse.
