Trainer Gavin Bedggood said it was a relief to see Mornington Glory bounce back into winning form at Moonee Valley and is eyeing a return to the track for an upcoming Stakes race.
Mornington Glory took out the Dominant Actizone Handicap (1000m) on Saturday to all but book a place in the Listed Norman Carlyon Stakes over the same trip on August 24.
Sent out the $3.10 betting apps favourite under Jamie Kah, Mornington Glory scored a 3-¾ length win from Taunting ($6.50) with Moonhaven ($5.50) a further 1-¼ lengths away third.
Mornington Glory ended his last campaign finishing third in the Group 1 Oakleigh Plate during the autumn, and Bedggood was looking forward to the gelding’s late winter return.
That return was in the Group 3 Sir John Monash Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield last month, where the gelding finished 9-½ lengths astern of the winner Recommendation.
In the lead up to that contest, Bedggood was confident the sprinter was going equally as well as he was in the autumn and was left deflated with the performance.
“I thought he was in as good an order as he was last preparation, but I just couldn’t get that first-up run out of my head,” Bedggood said.
“It was too bad to be true and I was hoping it was all down to the wet track and today has probably shown that was the case, so it was a relief to see that.
“I wanted to fly under the radar with him and I really wanted to be that way first-up too.
“I’ve been happy with him all the way through and had to trust my gut, and today has proved it.”
Bedggood said Mornington Glory requires plenty of work for a sprinter which has resulted in the gelding having trips away from Cranbourne to improve his fitness levels.
“He went to Caulfield 11 days ago for a jump-out and he came here on Tuesday morning for another gallop, and I thought that would have had him in perfect order,” Bedggood said.
“Today was all about whether we go two weeks to the Carlyon or three weeks to (Group 3) The Heath (at Caulfield), but going on the way he won, we’ll probably come back here in a fortnight.”