Kingswood heads to NZ in search of G1 in the 2025 Zabeel Classic
Cranbourne trainer Gavin Bedggood has embarked on an international mission with Kingswood as preparations continue for his first runner abroad.
Bedggood and the entire flew out of Melbourne on Saturday night ahead of the Group 1 Zabeel Classic (2000m) at Ellerslie on Boxing Day.
The New Zealand trip offers the chance to secure a long-sought Group 1 success while also boosting Kingswood’s prospects as a future stallion.
“He’s a stallion with a good pedigree page, but he’s not a sexy horse in Australia,” Bedggood said.
“I think he would be commercial in that environment, so if he was able to go over there and jag one, that would be good.
“There are races over there in the autumn for him too, but we’ll reassess after Boxing Day.”
Kingswood, a son of Roaring Lion, began his racing career in Ireland before relocating to Australia, where he initially raced for Maddie Raymond before joining the Bedggood operation.
The six-year-old secured the 2024 Group 3 Coongy Cup (2000m) and later returned to Flemington to win the Listed Cup Day Plate (1800m) on Melbourne Cup Day.
He was last seen finishing fourth in the Ballarat Cup (2000m) on December 6.
“Ballarat was too wet, so you can put a pen through that,” Bedggood said.
“He was great the start before at Flemington and if he gets the ground that he needs, he’ll be right amongst the action.”
Bedggood said Kingswood’s final workout on Saturday morning was among the strongest the entire has produced.
With flights booked back to Australia on January 12, Kingswood is expected to enjoy time in a New Zealand paddock as connections reassess autumn targets.
Rory Hutchings will ride Kingswood on Friday.
“He was riding a lot for Chris Waller in Brisbane for the last few years and he’s ridden Group 1 winners previously,” Bedggood said.
“Jamie Bates, Logan Bates’ father, rides trackwork for me and he thought he would be a rider that would be a good fit for him, so that was the theory behind that.”
Betting markets for the Zabeel Classic and Kingswood’s international campaign can be viewed via the Australian betting sites list.
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