Tony Noonan will saddle up his first Northern Territory Derby runner in Darwin on Saturday but still has some unfinished business in Queensland.The Victorian trainer will start Chosen One in Saturday's 2000-metre Northern Territory Derby at Fannie Bay while Ab Almalik and Jacqueline Rouge will be the stable's last Brisbane runners for the winter in the Listed Tattersall's Mile at Eagle Farm.Noonan arrived in the Top End on Wednesday night after watching promising filly Hilton Head win her maiden
Tony Noonan will saddle up his first Northern Territory Derby runner in Darwin on Saturday but still has some unfinished business in Queensland.
The Victorian trainer will start Chosen One in Saturday's 2000-metre Northern Territory Derby at Fannie Bay while Ab Almalik and Jacqueline Rouge will be the stable's last Brisbane runners for the winter in the Listed Tattersall's Mile at Eagle Farm.
Noonan arrived in the Top End on Wednesday night after watching promising filly Hilton Head win her maiden at Doomben and then inspecting boom filly Ortensia ahead of her return home for the Melbourne spring carnival.
Ortensia finished third to Black Piranha in the Group One Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) last month but was then ruled out of the Group One Winter Stakes (1400m) at Eagle Farm with a minor leg injury.
Noonan has never started a runner in Darwin but is hopeful Chosen One can win the Northern Territory Derby while he also fancies the chances of both his Eagle Farm runners.
"Jacqueline Rouge and Ab Almalik will be my last runners in Brisbane this year and I can't split them on Saturday," Noonan said.
Stathi Katsidis, who won the Listed Toowoomba Cup for the first time last week on Jussemi, will partner Jacqueline Rouge while Scott Galloway will ride Ab Almalik.
Jacqueline Rouge was placed in the Group Three Dane Ripper Stakes (1400m) in May before fading to finish 15th, only five lengths behind the winner Russeting, in the Winter Stakes.
She then made up ground on a very heavy track to finish fourth in the Listed Glasshouse Handicap (1400m) at Caloundra on June 27.
"Jacqueline Rouge has been an honest little mare. Outside her Winter Stakes run her form has been terrific," Noonan said.
"Her fourth in the Glasshouse last start was great and since then her work has been terrific, as good as it's ever been.
"She's already stakes-placed and hopefully she can finally break through to win a stakes race this time."
Noonan is hopeful Jacqueline Rouge will race on for another season and not head to the breeding barn next season.
"She'll make a great broodmare and she'll probably go to Tale Of The Cat when she does retire to stud," he said.
"But she's capable of winning some more good races but I will understand if the owners decide to retire her."
Ab Almalik, winner of the Listed Kilmore Cup (1600m) in February, produced a tidy performance in his first Queensland start this winter when ninth to Wednesday's Ramornie Handicap winner Battlefield in the Listed Ascot Handicap (1200m) at Eagle Farm on July 4.
"He was first-up in the Ascot and it was quite a sound run," Noonan said.
"He was beaten just over four lengths and he's made considerable improvement since then.
"There's not a lot between my two runners and Ab Almalik will love the mile (1600 metres)."