Bjorn Baker's Shameonus will be in with a chance of winning $2 million later this year after the Orange Gold Cup was announced as one of the qualifying races for the Big Dance.
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Racing NSW announced on Tuesday the eligibility and conditions for the $2 million Big Dance which is set to be held at Royal Randwick on November 1 this year.
The field for the race is set to feature the winners and second-placed horses from 25 Country Cup races from across the state including Dubbo, Mudgee, Orange, Bathurst, Coonamble and Wellington. Baker's Ita was second in the Cup race.
Racing NSW also stated on Tuesday, preference would be given to those who won one of the 25 Country Cups leading into the event.
The Big Dance qualifying races have already begun with the Goulburn Cup being the first race to be announced as a qualifier, with that event held back on October 31 2021.
The remaining Central West qualifiers are the Wellington Cup, Forbes Cup, Dubbo Gold Cup, Bathurst Cup and Coonamble Cup.
The Coonamble Cup on October 9 this year will be the final qualifying race before the Big Dance final at Royal Randwick.
Wellington's Peter Stanley is already in contention for the event after Not Negotiating won the Mudgee Cup back in December 2021.
Stanley along with his daughter Ashley combined to help Not Negotiating ($7) to a win ahead of One Aye.
A wild card race is also going to run on October 8, with the first two place getters exempt from the ballot.
A benchmark rating at the time of the acceptances for the event will be used to determine the final field of the horses which are eligible. The final will be run at a distance of 1600m and will be under handicap conditions.
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