Decisions made in haste on a race day is often avoided by trainers as, often enough, they turn out to be not so wise.
Gavin Bedggood attests to this with Hedged as the gelding lines up in the Group 2 Australia Stakes (1200m) at Pakenham on Friday night.
A stylish winner of the Listed Christmas Stakes (1200m) at Sandown on Boxing Day, Hedged failed to follow-up in the Group 3 Standish Handicap (1200m) at Flemington finishing second-last as a beaten $2.90 favourite a fortnight ago.
“I said straightaway post-race at Flemington that he would go to the paddock and you shouldn’t make decisions on a race day,” Bedggood said from Karaka in New Zealand as he embarked on a second big sales period in a fortnight.
“We went home and couldn’t fault the horse. My vet couldn’t find anything untoward so hence he’s lining up in this race.”
Bedggood put the result down to a ‘weird day’ for racing up the Flemington straight. “The leaders in most races didn’t fare well and the horses in that race who went forward got swallowed up very quickly and horses out wide just dropped out.
Hedged is the $6 second favourite for the Australia Stakes behind War Machine who, first-up, has firmed slightly into $1.55 with online bookies.
“We’ll just ride him comfortably and leave it up to Harry Coffey,” he added.
Bedggood played a part a $330,000 purchase of a son of Written Tycoon out of Hedged’s dam Acing Shamrock at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Sale last week,
On Saturday, Bedggood has Hughes running in the Listed John Dillon Stakes (1400m) as a springboard to upcoming feature races in Hobart and Launceston.
“He’s a victim of his own success,” Bedggood said.
“He sort of found his level but since has been racing well without winning.
“This will set him up well for Tasmania.”
Hughes won four of his seven starts in the first half of 2025 and is rated a $20 chance at Caulfield with Standish Handicap winner Zou Sensation the $3 favourite.
