Mick Price says Hedged is capable of winning a good race if he can get his head right.
The Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr stable has fiddled around with the headgear of Hedged in the bid to extract the best from the sprinter at Caulfield.
Hedged runs in the VOBIS Gold Sprint (1200m) on Saturday and will wear earmuffs in the race.
Previously, Hedged has worn earmuffs pre-race only, which are then removed at the barriers.
Price said Hedged can be his own worst enemy and hopes with the addition of earmuffs he will settle during the race.
“He’s going well, and the conditions of the race suit,” Price said.
“He’s just got to learn to run the first half of the race at the correct rate and then he’ll give himself the chance to finish off.
“His go button lies very close to the surface, so we need to be very careful with him.
“He’s a lovely horse when he relaxes.”
Price said Hedged had one bad experience in Sydney where he ‘revved’ into the bridle in the first half of the race and did not finish off.
He said the stable had put plenty of time into this preparation in a bid to get him to relax.
“We’ve worked hard to try and get him to relax, and then there’s race day,” Price said.
“He had one experience in Sydney where he just revved into the bridle and it’s taken time to get him back, but we’re pretty happy with him.”
Price was happy to see some rain in Melbourne on Wednesday but would like a little more ahead of Saturday for Hedged who will be having his first Melbourne run since the corresponding meeting at Caulfield which was held in April last year.
The gelding’s five subsequent starts have been in Sydney and Queensland.
“He’s a Magic Millions horse, you pay the nomination, so you’re almost obliged to run,” Price said.
“The problem is there’s a Spring Carnival, an Autumn Carnival, and one in the middle, so you can’t keep doing everything.
“If he runs well on Saturday, he may go over to Adelaide for a couple of races.
“If his brain is right and he gets his toe in the ground, he can win a good race.”
