Given the setbacks Hedged endured early in his time with the stable, trainer Gavin Bedggood is reluctant to rush the sprinter now that he has finally turned the corner.
The gelding broke through for his first win for the Cranbourne-based trainer – and his first success in 18 months – when producing a dominant performance in the Listed Christmas Stakes (1200m) at Sandown on Boxing Day.
That victory came at Hedged’s fifth outing for the stable after several runs where luck went against him, and he is likely to head to Flemington this Saturday for the Group 3 Standish Handicap (1200m).
Bedggood acknowledged the son of Capitalist will need a break at some point, but said the program currently in place has him thriving and allows for at least one more run.
“We sent him down the beach post-Cranbourne for a week and he thrived off that,” Bedggood said.
“We’ve just tried to replicate that. Monday morning (after Sandown) he got on the float and he came home on Friday.
“He’s very fit now, so we don’t have to do much with him. It’s just one little pipe-opener in between runs just to clean his wind up and that seems to be working well.
“As soon as we’re not happy with him he’ll go for a break – you can’t keep going forever – but while he looks well and he’s doing well in the stable we’ll keep him going.”
The $200,000 Standish Handicap will be Hedged’s first run down Flemington’s straight since the Group 3 Rising Fast Stakes (1200m) last spring, where he was badly held up before finishing strongly behind Caballus.
His only other appearances at Flemington resulted in a three-year-old handicap win and a fifth in the Sunlight Classic, won by Estriella, both contested over 1100 metres.
“I wouldn’t think the straight holds any concerns,” Bedggood said.
“I thought Harry (Coffey) executed the ride really well last start and understood the horse well and found a happy medium with him.
“I’m looking forward to seeing how they pair up again and hopefully we can continue the association.”
Hedged features among 16 entries for the Standish Handicap, with Maharba and Aviatress prominent among the nominated rivals.
The post Hedged to go again in Standish Handicap first appeared on Just Horse Racing.
