Cranbourne trainer Gavin Bedggood has been handed the reigns of come-back stayer Surprise Baby (NZ) (Shocking).
The son of Shocking has been off the scene since finishing 13th in last year’s Gr.1 Melbourne Cup (3200m), subsequently suffering a hock injury when preparing for the Gr.2 Zipping Classic (2400m).
Previously trained by Paul Preusker, Surprise Baby shot to prominence in 2019 when winning the Gr.2 Adelaide Cup (3200m) at just his sixth start before later that year winning the Gr.3 Bart Cummings (2500m) and a ticket into the Melbourne Cup.
A feel-good racing story, Surprise Baby was purchased for just $5,500 from gavelhouse.com by John Fiteni, who took a chance on the untried Kiwi galloper.
The bargain buy stormed home in the Melbourne Cup for a luckless fifth and from his 14 starts to date has earned A$1 million.
Jumps jockey turned trainer Bedggood said Surprise Baby had arrived in top condition at his stable after several weeks of rehab at Monomeith Park.
“He had a break in a hock where they’ve inserted a screw but the healings all done there and fingers crossed it’s all systems go,” Bedggood told Radio TAB.
“I had a ride on him this morning and he feels a million dollars. He’s lovely and sound in his action, he’s bright in himself and you would never pick it at all so obviously the more we increase his workload time will tell.
“The injured area looks 100 percent and he’s had the right thing done by him and been given plenty of time and patience and no stone has been left unturned in getting him back.”
Bedggood, who is in his fifth season of training and recently won his first stakes race with No Effort, was delighted to get the call to train Surprise Baby but admits there is a certain amount of pressure with training a cult-horse who has run so well in a Melbourne Cup.
“I probably feel a little bit like I’m on a hiding to nothing, given he reached the pinnacle running in two Melbourne Cups and running so well in one of them. I just hope I can do the horse justice and do my best for the owners,” he said.
The Listed Cranbourne Cup (1600m), which is scheduled for November 13 or the Gr.3 Kevin Heffernan Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on November 27 are potential kick-offs for Surprise Baby, who won’t be ready for a Cup tilt this year.
“If it doesn’t look like he’s going to be ready to go he won’t be rushed we’ll just put him away and getting ready for the autumn,” Bedggood said.