A stakes-winner at Sandown on Boxing Day and then down the track at his next start when unplaced, connections elected to ‘roll the dice’ on talented Capitalist sprinter Hedged and give him his shot in the $350,000 Group II MVRC Australia Stakes (1200m) and were well rewarded.
Now trained by Gavin Bedggood after starting his career with the Price Kent stable, Hedged has always shown above average talent, but his last start failure scared off punters in a small field of six with short priced favourite War Machine expected to dominate.
War Machine offered a timid challenge after turning for home in a race marred by the tragic breakdown of Cannonball (he was subsequently euthanized) with Hedged producing a career best performance to win.
With Harry Coffey in the saddle, Hedged forged clear to win by two lengths over Group I winners Veight and War Machine, taking his overall record to six wins and eight placings from 24 starts with prizemoney topping $1million.
He clocked 1:07.58 seconds for the 1200m setting a new track record at Pakenham.
“When this Hedged turns up, he's a serious horse. Gavin is convinced he's a Group I horse and when this Hedged turns up, he is a G1 horse, but he’s a bit of a head-scratcher now and again. Sometimes he doesn't turn up, but when he does... you know, like War Machine is a G1 winner in his own right,” said stable representative Darryl Horner.
“Condolences to the connections of horse that went amiss, you don't want that to see that.
“It was a great ride and he’s a funny sort of horse, he’s been good going into every run. We're only a smallish sort of stable and we all dig in deep.”
Harry Coffey has ridden Hedged in his past three starts and thinks he may have cracked the case with the enigmatic sprinter.
“I thought tonight, just keep it simple, ride the horse where he's happy. We actually wanted to lead tonight and just get it all on his terms, but old Veight was pretty sharp out of the machines, and he had more speed than us and I was really going to have to bustle through to hold him out, so I found myself in a little bit of a predicament,” said Coffey.
“Then when the field broke up, after unfortunately Cannonball went amiss, I was hoping to get to the outside of Veight and as soon as I flicked across to the other side of his heels, Hedged grabbed the bridle, picked up and was a different horse.
“He's amazing because outside of horses, he's so much happier compared to being bustled up on the inside. You don't get to choose your barriers, but he might be one that's better suited drawing out.”
A $140,000 Magic Millions purchase for Mick Price Racing & Breeding Pty Ltd/Roll The Dice Racing/Rogers Bloodstock, Hedged was bred and sold by Yulong and is the best of two winners from Acing Shamrock, an unraced half-sister by Fastnet Rock to Group II winner Nafaayes from US Group III winner Decelerator (USA).
Yulong offered the yearling half-brother by Written Tycoon to Hedged at Magic Millions and he was snapped up for $330,000 by Roll The Dice Racing/Rogers Bloodstock.
Acing Shamrock foaled last spring producing a filly by Alabama Express and was the covered by First Settler.
