Trainer Gavin Bedggood has presented trainer Gavin Bedggood with a couple of choices for Just Folk at Caulfield as the galloper gears up for an early spring objective.
Just Folk is listed among the contenders for the Group 2 PB Lawrence Stakes (1400m), which is set to be run at weight-for-age on Saturday. Alternatively, he is entered in a benchmark 100 handicap (1600m) where he has been assigned 62kg.
Both races serve as potential lead-ups to a likely start in the Listed Heatherlie Stakes (1700m) at Caulfield on August 29, marking the official commencement of the Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival.
The weather forecast for Saturday appears favourable for Just Folk, who performs exceptionally well on rain-affected ground. At the time nominations closed on Monday, the track was rated a Heavy 9.
Of Just Folk’s 10 victories from 53 starts, five have been achieved on soft tracks. He also boasts nine placings from 21 attempts, with three of those wins occurring on heavy ground and three placings from nine runs.
“The forecast looks promising for him to get his preferred ground,” Bedggood stated.
“He ran super in the Winter Championship, and he went up and ran second in Sydney, in a Stakes race.”
“We just got beaten fair and square by a better horse on the day.”
Just Folk secured third place in the Winter Championship Final (1600m) at Flemington on July 4, followed by a second-place finish in the Winter Challenge (1500m) on July 18.
With Just Folk having recently turned 10, Bedggood indicated his preference for aiming for the $200,000 prize money in the Heatherlie Stakes, believing the horse would likely possess a fitness advantage over his competitors.
“I remember Dean Lester telling me, eight or nine years ago that the Heatherlie is a race that’s always won by the horse that’s come through winter, fit, and puts itself up on speed,” Bedggood explained.
“I would think that that’s his sort of race to be winning.It’s the Caulfield Cup kick-off for a lot of horses, and hopefully, he can be Johnny on the spot.”
“Looking at the forecast on Saturday, there’s a chance it will be wet and the way Caulfield has been racing as well, it might suit him too.”
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