An unlikely contributor might rate a mention in Gavin Bedggood’s acceptance speech if St Lawrence wins Saturday’s $200,000 Coastal Classic at Geelong.
The Cranbourne horseman said words of advice from the seven-year-old’s former trainer Ciaron Maher had helped him rejuvenate the son of Redwood.
St Lawrence joined Bedggood early last year and after failing to place in his first four starts for the stable, he was unplaced at his first two runs this campaign before last start getting back into the top-three for the first time since his The Little Dance win in November 2024.
The gelding finished second, beaten three-quarters-of-a-length, in the Listed Lord Stakes (1600m) at Sandown on Boxing Day and Bedggood said some words of advice from Maher had helped him turn St Lawrence around.
“He’d had a few runs for me and I was probably battling a bit and I bailed Ciaron up at Caulfield one day and I said, ‘where am I going wrong with this horse? I can’t get a yelp out of him’,” Bedggood said.
“He said he was probably a little bit similar and he was a horse that really thrived off his environment being changed.
“He went to Fingal, he went to Bong Bong, he went to Bob’s Farm and he just tried to keep changing his environment and he seemed to enjoy that.
“So I just hit reset and put him out for three weeks and he did a couple of weeks at the beach.
“Normally between runs we send him down to Lauriston Thoroughbred Farm and he really enjoys that.
“He’s obviously on a quick turnround (Saturday), so we haven’t had to do anything with him, he’s been down the beach for a few days, and I’d have to say talking to Ciaron has helped me.”
Although unplaced, Bedggood said there was hidden merit to St Lawrence’s two runs before the Lord Stakes and from the best draw of the campaign – barrier two – he is optimistic about his Coastal Classic chances.
“You would think fourth-up, up to 1700 from a better draw in a race that probably lacks a bit of speed he should get a nice run on the back of them,” Bedggood said.
“If he handles the back up well, he’s going to be right amongst the thick of things you would imagine.”
St Lawrence, who will be ridden by Logan Bates, holds down the second line of betting in a Coastal Classic market headed by his former stablemate Holymanz, who is chasing a third-straight win in the race.
