Trainer Gavin Bedggood has provided Group 1 victor Mornington Glory with solid preparation prior to his current comeback to the track.
Mornington Glory faces his initial appearance in nearly seven months during the Listed Bob Hoysted Handicap (1000m) at Flemington this Saturday, accompanied by the stable’s new arrival Johnny Rocker.
Bedggood adopted a patient strategy with Mornington Glory following his identification of ‘bone bruising’ after a lacklustre three-start autumn series last year, which concluded with a last-place finish in the Concorde Stakes at Randwick.
“Post Sydney, we sent him off for an MRI and scintigraphy, and he came back with pod lesions, or severe bone bruising,” Bedggood said.
“He had a three-month paddock break, a long rehab and returned with a month on the water walker, a month on the sandhills (at Cranbourne) and then a month of pacework.
“He’s got a really good base of fitness on him. He won his last trial, but I would say I have seen him trial better than what he did.
“He’s a horse that has not performed at his best first-up, but I would be disappointed if he didn’t run well.”
Mornington Glory enjoyed an outstanding run of performances in the early spring of 2024, peaking with success in the Group 1 Moir Stakes (1000m) at Moonee Valley.
Following two additional appearances, he headed for a spell and reached trials last autumn, only to require another rest after injuring a joint.
Bedggood admitted there might have been ‘trainer error’ in campaigning Mornington Glory last spring with just a single trial before the three runs concluded his preparation.
A potential Adelaide series could follow Saturday’s run and another outing for Mornington Glory.
“He’s got to put his hand up and show me something in his first two runs, otherwise we might pull the pin,” Bedggood said.
“I don’t want to be that trainer that had a good horse that kept on banging it around for the sake of running it.
“He owes us nothing and we owe him everything.”
Johnny Rocker makes his debut under Bedggood after a single Sydney start with the Bjorn Baker team, having earlier been handled by Nick Ryan at Flemington.
During Ryan’s tenure, Johnny Rocker nearly caught Imperatriz in the Group 1 William Reid Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley in March 2024.
“We’ve probably had him for six weeks and he and Mornington Glory have pretty much been workmates,” Bedggood said.
“I thought he galloped fantastic at Caulfield the other week but trialled below par at Cranbourne.
“His fitness is very good. He had the one run in Sydney before coming to me and like Mornington Glory, you want to see him be competitive and show he’s still got that zest for racing.
“He lives out in a yard. He’s gone from being boxed at Flemington and Warwick Farm, so we’re trying to get him right mentally.”
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