The Magic Millions carnival is the campaign focal point for promising sprinter Hedged, but trainers Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr are hoping he can knock off a feature race along the way.
The gelding will resume in the Group 3 The Warra (1000m) at Kembla Grange on Saturday, his first start since winding up his three-year-old season with a Queensland winter carnival win at Ipswich in May.
Prior to that, his performances included a runner-up finish behind Joliestar in the Arrowfield 3YO Stakes (1200m) at Randwick, and Kent Jnr doesn’t believe Hedged has reached his career-peak yet.
“For a four-year-old gelding, we still haven’t seen the best of him. He is still on the up-and-up,” Kent Jnr said.
“We were always dancing around him being immature. He was always feeling a bit touchy in his shins, even as a three-year-old. Now, he is almost the complete product.”
Hedged is a $4.80 chance for The Warra, and while he is a winner up to 1350m, he is also proven over the short course journey.
He has prepared for his return with two recent barrier trials and will be partnered by Chad Schofield, who is coming off a midweek treble at Canterbury.
“He is being aimed third-up at the Magic Millions carnival, but that does not mean he can’t win first-up on the way through,” Kent Jnr said.
“One of his best wins was when he won by four-and-a-half lengths at Sandown on a Saturday over 1000 metres, so he is definitely sharp enough and he’s drawn to get the right run.
“He should be just off the pace and off the fence and blending in.”
The stable will rely on Keitel in the final race with Raikoke unlikely to take his place after drawing the outside gate, while last start Randwick winner Blazing Harry is expected to be hard to beat in the Evergreen Turf Handicap (1400m).
“He’s a very progressive horse and he’s in great form,” Kent Jnr said of Blazing Harry.
“It was a very good win last time. He is drawn to get a great run (from barrier seven), and I think he can go really well.”
