Gavin Bedggood on weather watch
Trainer Gavin Bedggood will wait as long as possible before making a decision on where he starts Just Folk on Saturday.
Bedggood has Just Folk entered in the $1 million The Gong (1600m) at Kembla Grange on Saturday along with the $500,000 Listed Cranbourne Cup over the same trip.
Kembla Grange had been the preferred option, but that was until Bedggood checked on the weather forecast for the two venues.
“Last week, Kembla Grange were forecast for 20-40 mils of rain on each day Thursday, Friday and Saturday, but that’s changed to maybe 5-10 mils on Friday and 1-5 mils on Saturday,” Bedggood told RSN.
“I’ve been checking that multiple times a day and it keeps dropping off.
“At Cranbourne, this morning, it was saying 5-10 mils on Friday and maybe 10-20 mils on Saturday, so it’s a bit of a guessing game at the moment.”
With acceptances for both races due on Wednesday morning, Bedggood indicated that he would leave his decision until as late as possible and may even accept in both The Gong and Cranbourne Cup.
Just Folk ran in The Gong last year, finishing 14th on a good track for his previous trainer Josh Julius.
Bedggood has only had Just Folk for two starts and said he would have no problems travelling the gelding if The Gong was chosen as the race to tackle.
First-up for his new stable, Just Folk finished second to Tamarlane at Flemington before running fourth to Prowess in the Group 2 Crystal Mile at Moonee Valley on October 28.
“He’s had a few trips to Sydney, he’s been to Brisbane, and he’s been to Adelaide, so the travel won’t bother him at all,” Bedggood said.
“I thought his first-up run was great and he ran as good as he could second-up when he pulled a shoe on the way to the start, and it didn’t get picked up and he raced missing his near front shoe.”
Bedggood also has Keats entered in the Cranbourne Cup along with the $200,000 Kilmore Cup (1600m) on Sunday.
“I probably have more of a leaning to go to the Kilmore Cup as I think he will be really suited around that track with the downhill run into the straight,” Bedggood said.
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