Oscar's Fortune steps up to 1400m test at Caulfield on Saturday
A rise in distance may be the tonic for Oscar's Fortune to return to winning ways, with trainer Gavin Bedggood to attack the Queensland carnival if the stakes-winning sprinter rekindles his best form at Caulfield on Saturday.
Oscar's Fortune won the Group 3 Roma Cup (1100m) at Ascot last year, after a second-placing at Group 1 level behind Overpass in the Winterbottom Stakes (1200m).
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The son of Rich Enuff will step out to 1400m for the first time on Saturday, taking on a Benchmark 100 Handicap.
The ex-WA speedster, formerly trained by Dion Luciani, has had four unplaced starts for Bedggood after arriving at his stable in late October.
He finished a disappointing ninth first-up at Flemington, before a sixth-placed finish next start at Mornington.
'I thought it (Mornington) was just a pass mark,' Bedggood, who trains at Cranbourne, said.
'He just held his gallop, in hindsight, Jamie Mott was of the opinion he probably would've been better off being ridden more forward.'
Bedggood admits the gelding has been tricky to put a finger on this campaign, but believes there was an excuse for a below-par run first-up.
The Group 1-winning handler is confident a rise in trip will suit the four-year-old, who has won $1.2m in prizemoney.
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'First-up it was a disadvantage if you weren't rails in the run, we were sort of exposed the whole way,' he said.
'We were probably disadvantaged that day, but I thought he would've carted up further than what he did.
'All the data we get off the horse, the equimetre readings in his trackwork, he's a mile and beyond horse, I don't know if he's that, but I don't think 1400m will be an issue.
'He's got a massive stride on him and he can hold a good gallop, if he can find the front tomorrow and not over-exert, that should set him up nicely.'
Oscar's Fortune ($11) has drawn barrier two on Saturday, with apprentice hoop Logan Bates to ride.
Bates' 3kg claim will bring the gelding in at 57kg in the weights.
'He's been carrying 60-plus kilos in all his runs, he gets down in the weights tomorrow and he's not giving away five or six kilos to his opponents, that will also assist him I think,' he said.
Oscar's Fortune upsets the fav Amelia's Jewel in the G3 AC Milan Cup at Ascot! @PerthRacing pic.twitter.com/yV0TUjkeQL
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) April 6, 2024
The gelding's trackwork suggests that a return to form isn't far away, Bedggood has nominated him for two Queensland Group 1s, the Kingsford Smith Cup (1300m) on May 31, and the Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) on June 14.
A tilt up North hinges on Saturday's performance.
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'His trackwork is the work of a proper racehorse, and backs up his previous form, he had a good jumpout on Monday morning, reverse way, with the view that if he runs well Saturday, we'll take him up to Brisbane. I'll be bitterly disappointed if he doesn't run well,' Bedggood said.
'The reality of it is, he's got to be running very well tomorrow to be running up there.'
Bedggood has four runners at Caulfield on Saturday, including in-form mare Sirius Statement, who is chasing a hat-trick of wins in a Benchmark 78 Handicap (1400m).
'She's drawn well, she'll land in a spot just behind the speed, mares in form can quite often continue on their way, it wouldn't surprise me to see her bobbing up tomorrow,' he said.
Veteran gelding Just Folk will also line up in the Group 2 Hollindale Stakes (1800m) at the Gold Coast.
'They've had 16mm of rain overnight, that will assist him,' he said.
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