Gavin Bedggood will saddle former Perth sprinter Oscar's Fortune in the inaugural running of The Meteorite at Cranbourne.
Gavin Bedggood hopes the decision to take Oscar’s Fortune to Cranbourne for a midweek gallop will pay off handsomely on Saturday.
Oscar’s Fortune runs in the $1 million The Meteorite (1200m), a new ‘slot race’ that Southside Racing, a merged entity of the Cranbourne and Pakenham Clubs, runs for the first time.
The former Perth sprinter, trained by Dion Luciani, has only had the one start for Bedggood with the gelding’s new trainer still learning about the gelding.
While Bedggood trains at Cranbourne, he took the opportunity to take the sprinter for a short trip to the racetrack and away from the Training Centre on Tuesday, for a ‘look’ at where he will be racing on Saturday.
“I’m glad we took him to the Turf Club for a gallop on Tuesday,” Bedggood said.
“We train at Cranbourne, but it isn’t where we work our horses in the morning, so he had a pretty good look around, especially the last 100 metres when he got to the grandstand and then again, he had a look at the winning post, so I think that gallop will hold him in good stead for Saturday.”
Oscar’s Fortune ran second in the Group 1 Winterbottom Stakes (1200m) in Perth 12 months ago and was placed in The Quokka (1200m), also at Ascot, earlier in the year, but had campaigned in Melbourne during the spring.
After beating only one home behind Baraqiel in the Group 2 McEwen Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley last month, the sprinter was transferred to Bedggood’s care.
Oscar’s Fortune finished sixth in the Listed Century Stakes (1000m) at Flemington on November 7 and Bedggood said there was excuses that day.
“I thought his run up the straight at Flemington was more than a pass mark,” Bedggood said.
“The horses drawn down low were probably disadvantaged and just as he was starting to look for a run, he got baulked.
“Damian (Lane) was of the opinion he runs second, third, fourth if he’d had clean air.
“Looking ahead to the weekend, if he runs up to his Perth form, the Quokka run, the Winterbottom run, you’d have to think he’s going in with a chance on Saturday.”
Bedggood said the inaugural running of The Meteorite was a great concept by Southside Racing.
“It’s good to have a runner that’s good enough to be there, so long may it continue,” Bedggood said.
