Trainer Gavin Bedggood will get a better guide to the spring fortunes of recent stable acquisition Casino Seventeen after he runs at Flemington.
Casino Seventeen will be having his third start for the Bedggood stable when he lines up in the 25/26 VRC Membership Renewals Open (2530m) on Saturday.
The much-travelled galloper, who has raced in Victoria, New South Wales, South Australia, Western Australia and the Northern Territory, was described by Bedggood as being tough.
“He’s been everywhere,” Bedggood said.
“He hasn’t been to Tassie yet and he might make a nice Hobart Cup horse, but he’s very tough and for tried horse, he’s come to us very sound too.
“It makes my job easy.”
Casino Seventeen mixes his distances and was a multiple winner at Group 2 level in Perth when prepared by Grant and Alana Williams.
Last year he won the Perth Cup (2400m) before later showing his versatility to claim the Lee Steere Stakes over 1400m.
After finishing second to Jimmy The Bear at his first run for Bedggood, Casino Seventeen finished midfield over 2000m at Flemington on July 19.
“He was great first-up and I thought it was a pass mark second-up,” Bedggood said.
“The race hasn’t come up as deep as I would have thought it would, but it probably lacks tempo which he probably needs to get cover.
“Hopefully, he’s third or fourth in the run, on the back of them somewhere.
“Saturday is the fork in the road race. If he was to come out and win, then you have a throw at The Archer and see where you land.
“But there’s plenty of second-tier races for him as well if he is a rung below the good ones.
“We could freshen him up and bring him back in trip.”
The Archer (2500m) at Flemington on September 13, is the next local race that provides the winner with a ballot exemption into the Melbourne Cup (3200m) in November.
