By David Nagel
Cranbourne trainer Gavin Bedggood is hoping a long-lasting dream comes true when he saddles up No Effort in Saturday $500,000 Listed Ladbrokes Cranbourne Cup (1600m).
Bedggood has called Cranbourne home for the best part of two decades, and would love nothing better than to follow in the footsteps of last year’s winning trainer, another Cranbourne local, Robbie Griffiths.
The half-million dollars on offer is attractive, but winning his hometown cup would mean so much more.
“It’s a big carrot, but it’s not the driving force behind me wanting to have a runner in the race,” Bedggood explained at Wednesday mornings barrier draw.
“I’ve grown up in Cranbourne, I’ve worked at the training complex for 22 years, and just to have a runner on Cranbourne Cup Day is great…to have a runner in the cup is even better.”
His eight-year-old mare ran fifth, beaten less than two lengths by King Magnus last year, but Bedggood believes he has the daughter of Reward for Effort/Hold the Lion in much better condition this time around.
“Last year she came here on tired legs, but this year it’s really been a focus for ours for a long time,” he said.
“I think we’ve got her here in as good a order as we can, but she’s going to have to be, it’s a race of more depth this year, but I’ll be really disappointed if she’s not running well.”
No Effort has not had a run since running down the track in the Heatherlie Handicap at Caulfield on 27 August.
“She went way too quick in front in the Heatherlie and had a real gut-buster, and she just felt the affects of that run,” he said.
“We elected to put her out for three weeks straight away, and give her a bit of a freshen up, and all systems have been targeted to this race.”
Bedggood has no doubt that his mare can stand up against one of the strongest cup fields on record.
“She’s raced against good horses for the last two years of her career, and she’s got a great racing style where she sits forward and makes her own luck,” he said.
“She drops two-and-a-half kilos in weight from last year and if you look through her record, when she’s down on the minimum, she’s always highly competitive.
“I think the less weight is a big thing for her.”
The Cranbourne local said winning the cup would be a dream come true.
“It would mean everything,’ he said.
“As I said, I’ve lived in Cranbourne for the best part of 20 years and worked here for even longer, and I’ve been coming to the Cranbourne Cup since 2000.
“To win my home-town cup would be special and would really mean a lot.”
Listed $500,000 Ladbrokes Cranbourne Cup (1600m)
Saturday 12 November, 4:20pm
1. Callsign Mav (NZ) (10) 61kg D.O’Brien J.Mott
2. Just Folk (1) 59kg J.Julius H.T.Coffey
3. Buckhurst (IRE) (5) 56.5kg R.Hickmott J.Allen
4. Buffalo River (USA) (4) 56.5kg M.Moroney D.Oliver
5. Our Playboy (2) 56.5kg M.Price & M.Kent (Jnr) B.J.Melham
6. Uncle Bryn (GB) (8) 56kg T.Busuttin & N.Young M.Zahra
7. Ironclad (GB) (13) 55.5kg W.Clarken E.P.Brown
8. Crosshaven (15) 55kg B. & JD.Hayes J.Noonan
9. Visinari (FR) (7) 54.5kg M.Price & M.Kent (Jnr) D.Moor
10. No Effort (3) 54kg G.Bedggood M.J.Dee
11. Belle Plaisir (NZ) (6) 54kg T. & C.McEvoy C.Williams
12. So Si Bon (11) 54kg B. & JD.Hayes J.Childs
13. Lightsaber (12) 54kg P.Moody B.McDougall
14. Flash Aah (14) 54kg T.Busuttin & N.Young C.Newitt
15. No Surrender (9) 54kg J.Laing TBC
