Cranbourne trainer Gavin Bedggood has the bases covered regarding track conditions with his two runners in the Heatherlie Stakes at Caulfield.
Kingswood, which is first-up, and the race fit Just Folk will line up in the 1700m handicap at Listed level on Saturday.
Bedggood wants drying ground for Kingswood while it is wetter the better for Just Folk.
On Thursday the track was just into the heavy range.
With many of the runners in Saturday’s race either first-up or in the very early stages of their campaign, Bedggood is banking on race fitness being beneficial for Just Folk.
“I remember Dean Lester telling me, eight or nine years ago, the Heatherlie was a race that is won by the horse that’s come through winter, fit, and puts itself up on speed,” Bedggood said.
“I would think that is his sort of race to be winning.
“It’s the Caulfield Cup kick-off point for a lot of horses, and hopefully, he can be Johnny on the spot.”
Just Folk will be lining up for the sixth run of his campaign and is coming off a last start third in a benchmark 100 race over 1600m at Caulfield on August 15.
He drops 3kg on that appearance and has Blake Shinn in the saddle.
If all goes to plan, Bedggood is considering a trip to New Zealand with just Folk, just as he did last year with Kingswood who won and was placed at Group 1 level in three starts earlier in the year.
“We threw in a nomination over there,” Bedggood said of Just Folk.
“If it was really wet, testing ground, it would be something I would consider.”
Kingswood has not raced since finishing fifth in New Zealand in March, but Bedggood said the gelding had been ready to head to the races for a couple of weeks.
“He’s flying and going as well as I’ve had him go,” Bedggood said.
“His first-up run will determine where we go after that.
“He could go to the Naturalism or the Underwood. His first-up run will determine whether we can go down that weight-for-age path, or the handicap route, and ideally, you would love to see him in the Caulfield Cup fourth-up if he’s going well enough.”
