Latest news with #GavinBedggood
Daily Telegraph
3 days ago
- General
- Daily Telegraph
Diwali springs a surprise in Sandown Cup
Don't miss out on the headlines from Horse Racing. Followed categories will be added to My News. Developing stayer Diwali caused a minor upset in the Listed Sandown Cup (3200m) on Sunday. Diwali, aptly-named and trained for success on Australian Steeplechase race day, capitalised on the slowly-run Sandown Cup and finished better than favourites Through Irish Eyes and Alma Rise. A horse named Diwali, trained by the late Rick Hore-Lacy, won the 1982 Australian Steeplechase. Former jumps jockey-turned-trainer Gavin Bedggood, who trains the current Diwali, rode three Australian Steeplechase winners including Mazzacano (2007 and 2009) and Vindicating (2011). 'He presented well, he'd (Diwali) been running well… and the race was there,' Bedggood said. 'We thought it was probably going to end up like it was, horses from the Andrew Ramsden, a few jumpers… we were untried at the distance range but we thought with the right run in transit it should work well for him.' Diwali won a 2400m Benchmark 58 Handicap at Moe three back and most recently placed second at Sandown over the same distance in a midweek Benchmark 70. The four-year-old worked smartly last week, which convinced Bedggood to go for the Sandown Cup. 'We came here today with reasonable confidence, obviously a horse with a low benchmark rating but on fresh legs I suppose,' Bedggood said. Bedggood said the Deane Lester Flemington Cup (2800m) on July 19 at Flemington could be viable winter finale for Diwali. 'We got six weeks, we'll probably send him to the beach tomorrow and give him a week to freshen up a little bit,' Bedggood said. 'Maybe look for a 2500m run at Flemington in between time, we might get three weeks, three weeks into that race (Flemington Cup) and use it as our final.' Experienced jockey Joe Bowditch praised Bedggood's placement of Diwali. Gavin Bedggood with Joe Bowditch celebrate Diwali's win in the Sandown Cup. Photo:. 'Can't this bloke train a racehorse? Never put anything past Gavin,' Bowditch said. 'I won a Benchmark 58 at Moe on (Diwali) three starts back, he was impressive but I wouldn't have thought we'd be here… full credit to Gavin.' Bowditch had the race won a long way out on Diwali, who turned for home with plenty to offer. 'Once we came past the winning post (the first time) the anchor went out and everything steadied up,' Bowditch said. 'I was quite glad to see Linda (Meech) take off and get going and that just allowed me to get away from the fence and get off the back of Glentaneous. 'Bided my time and once Declan (Bates) got going I was able to get a beautiful cart up… I was a bit worried I was going to get there a little bit too soon. 'The horse was travelling that well I didn't want to stop his momentum over this trip, stop start on him, I just kept letting him flow and he was too good.' Originally published as Diwali relishes the step up to two miles in the Sandown Cup
News.com.au
3 days ago
- General
- News.com.au
Diwali relishes the step up to two miles in the Sandown Cup
Developing stayer Diwali caused a minor upset in the Listed Sandown Cup (3200m) on Sunday. Diwali, aptly-named and trained for success on Australian Steeplechase race day, capitalised on the slowly-run Sandown Cup and finished better than favourites Through Irish Eyes and Alma Rise. A horse named Diwali, trained by the late Rick Hore-Lacy, won the 1982 Australian Steeplechase. Former jumps jockey-turned-trainer Gavin Bedggood, who trains the current Diwali, rode three Australian Steeplechase winners including Mazzacano (2007 and 2009) and Vindicating (2011). 'He presented well, he'd (Diwali) been running well… and the race was there,' Bedggood said. 'We thought it was probably going to end up like it was, horses from the Andrew Ramsden, a few jumpers… we were untried at the distance range but we thought with the right run in transit it should work well for him.' Diwali won a 2400m Benchmark 58 Handicap at Moe three back and most recently placed second at Sandown over the same distance in a midweek Benchmark 70. The four-year-old worked smartly last week, which convinced Bedggood to go for the Sandown Cup. Diwali relishes the two-mile test of the Listed Sandown Cup â�ï¸� @GavinBedggood 's strong form continues ðŸ'¥ — (@Racing) June 1, 2025 'We came here today with reasonable confidence, obviously a horse with a low benchmark rating but on fresh legs I suppose,' Bedggood said. Bedggood said the Deane Lester Flemington Cup (2800m) on July 19 at Flemington could be viable winter finale for Diwali. 'We got six weeks, we'll probably send him to the beach tomorrow and give him a week to freshen up a little bit,' Bedggood said. 'Maybe look for a 2500m run at Flemington in between time, we might get three weeks, three weeks into that race (Flemington Cup) and use it as our final.' Experienced jockey Joe Bowditch praised Bedggood's placement of Diwali. 'Can't this bloke train a racehorse? Never put anything past Gavin,' Bowditch said. 'I won a Benchmark 58 at Moe on (Diwali) three starts back, he was impressive but I wouldn't have thought we'd be here… full credit to Gavin.' Bowditch had the race won a long way out on Diwali, who turned for home with plenty to offer. 'Once we came past the winning post (the first time) the anchor went out and everything steadied up,' Bowditch said. 'I was quite glad to see Linda (Meech) take off and get going and that just allowed me to get away from the fence and get off the back of Glentaneous. 'Bided my time and once Declan (Bates) got going I was able to get a beautiful cart up… I was a bit worried I was going to get there a little bit too soon. 'The horse was travelling that well I didn't want to stop his momentum over this trip, stop start on him, I just kept letting him flow and he was too good.'
News.com.au
09-05-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
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). • PUNT LIKE A PRO: Become a Racenet iQ member and get expert tips – with fully transparent return on investment statistics – from Racenet's team of professional punters at our Pro Tips section. SUBSCRIBE NOW! 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. • '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 — 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. • '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.
