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After a successful campaign over the short course at Moonee Valley that netted a Group 1 win, Mornington Glory is set to step up in trip at Caulfield.
Mornington Glory won three consecutive 1000m race at The Valley through August and September, culminating in the Group 1 Moir Stakes which provided trainer Gavin Bedggood his first success at the highest level.
Bedggood elected to dodge the Group 1 Manikato Stakes (1200m) at The Valley on September 27 and freshen Mornington Glory for Saturday’s Group 2 Schillaci Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield.
The trainer said he did not want to try his luck pushing Mornington Glory out to the 1200m of the Manikato against the class of sprinter engaged and felt Saturday’s contest was the next step.
“He’s a horse that thrives on racing and he didn’t need to have a break,” Bedggood said.
“It’s just the way the calendar fell, and we didn’t want to go to the Manikato, so this was the next logical option.
“He had a trial here last Thursday, trialled well, but pulled up with improvement out of it, and he’s had another nice piece of work at Cranbourne since and pulled up spot on, so he’s on target.”
Mornington Glory is the sole Group 1 winner in Saturday’s contest, but the slight rise in trip adds a new complexion to the race.
And Bedggood concedes there is some strong opposition engaged.
“Kallos had the better of him in the autumn and Recommendation, we ran poorly behind him first-up on rain-affected ground.
“Then you have to throw in Star Patrol, so he’s going to have to run up to what he has been doing, but I’ve got no doubt he will.”
Bedggood said there was a chance Mornington Glory could return for the Group 2 Millennium Sprint (1000m) at Caulfield on Saturday week.
“We’ll just see how he comes through each run, but there’ s not a lot of options,” Bedggood said.
“There’s maybe the Millennium Sprint next week if we were to do a seven-day backup, which we did do last spring.
“He won at Flemington and then won seven days later at the Valley, or he could go to the McEwen Stakes on Cox Plate Day if we wanted to try the 1200 (metres) again, but we’ll just see how he comes through this and reassess.”
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