The lavish odds put up about Kingswood before his first start for Gavin Bedggood are nowhere to be seen ahead of this Wednesday’s Coongy Cup at Caulfield.
The import made a stunning first impression in Bedggood’s care when he thrashed his rivals in benchmark 78 grade at Sandown on September 28.
He started $9.50 in that 1800-metre event after $71 was put up in the days leading up to the race.
Kingswood is $3.60 favourite for the 2000m Coongy Cup, which is now the feature event of the Melbourne Racing Club’s middle day of the Caulfield Cup Carnival.
It is a step up, but Bedggood has put the gelding in esteemed company and is convinced he will one day measure up in even better grade than Wednesday’s race.
“He’s in great order and I think he’s a really progressive horse,” Bedggood said.
“I haven’t had a horse with lung capacity like him since Surprise Baby and I think he’s just a very nice horse in the making.”
The Sandown win was Kingswood’s first in Australia, at his third start after two unplaced runs in winter for Maddie Raymond.
The Roaring Lion five-year-old’s other win was in 2011m maiden at Cork in Ireland which was followed by a third placing over the same trip in the Group 3 Gallinule Stakes at Curragh.
John Allen, who rode at Sandown, retains the ride with the pair to jump from barrier six in the field of nine.
Among his rivals are rejuvenated gelding Berkeley Square, Sydney visitor Touristic, the consistent Star Vega and Smokin’ Romans, the Caulfield Cup favourite from two years ago.
