Racing
Hot jump-out heat at Caulfield
Seven of the ten horses nominated for the opening jump-out at Caulfield are Group 1 winners.
There is a sense of spring in the air with a strong set of jump-outs scheduled for Caulfield.
Group 1 winners Magic Time, Attrition, Mornington Glory, Pinstriped, Desert Lightning, La Dorada and Smokin' Romans are set to go around in the opening heat over 800m on Wednesday.
The jump-out session will see 12 heats held, all over 800m.
Mornington Glory had been scheduled to have a jump-out at Cranbourne on Monday, but with those jump-outs moved to the Polytrack, trainer Gavin Bedggood has instead decided to head for a grass gallop at Caulfield.
Bedggood is aiming Mornington Glory at a similar early season campaign as to the one he competed in last year.
Mornington Glory won three straight Moonee Valley races, culminating in the Group 1 Moir Stakes (1000m) last September.
The sprinter had kicked off his campaign at Caulfield in the Group 3 Sir John Monash Stakes, finishing mid-field, before winning a Benchmark 100 contest at The Valley.
He then took the Listed Norman Carlyon Stakes (1000m) at The Valley enroute to his breakthrough Group 1 success.
That Group 1 victory was also a breakthrough win at the highest level for Bedggood.
Bedggood said Mornington Glory was tracking along nicely for his return to racing which will be at Moonee Valley in the Norman Carlyon on August 23.
"He's in great order," Bedggood said.
"He'll have a jump-out on Wednesday then 12 days later he'll trial again and then kick-off in the Carlyon into the Moir like we did last year.
"Last year we went to the Benchmark 100, but his rating doesn't allow that this year."
Mornington Glory hasn't raced since finishing third in the Group 2 McEwen Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley last October.
After two jump-outs in the autumn, Mornington Glory's campaign was halted after he wrenched a joint in his last piece of work leading up to the Group 1 Oakleigh Plate in February.
Bedggood said Mornington Glory seems in a similar vein of form as he was 12 months ago.
"Probably a month ago, I didn't think so, but since he's been doing a bit more it's really brought him on and each week he's improved," Bedggood said.
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