Former top jumps jockey Gavin Bedggood has become an overnight sensation in the training ranks having carved out a niche of rejuvenating tried horses.
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The 38-year-old struck gold when he delved into the thoroughbred equivalent of the used car market buying other trainers' cast-offs and putting in the necessary time and effort to extract untapped ability from the gallopers.
Bedggood, who has 35 horses in work at Cranbourne, is now looking forward to attracting a better class horse to his stable after plenty of success with cast-offs on the track.
"It's taken a bit of time but we're getting a better class of horse in the stable," Bedggood told ACM Racing. "We had to take baby steps. We couldn't rush the procedure, believe me it's just taken time.
"I learnt a long time ago racing is all about winners. Owners just want winners, if they don't get winners they tend to drop off quick. I've been fortunate to have had some great loyal owners since day one and they have been the back-bone of the stable taking shares in the cast-offs and the results speak for themselves.
"We do have some nice unraced two and three-year-olds in the stable now and they are the future."
One of Bedggood's bargain buys Windstorm - a $50,000 purchase in a digital on-line auction - runs in Saturday's feature race at Flemington, the $200,000 Winter Championship Final. The seven-year-old will have his fourth start for the hard-working trainer in the 1600 metre race.
"I've been very happy with Windstorm's three runs for us," he said. "I thought he was worth taking a chance with at $50,000 and it's proven a good decision. He's won $57,000 for his connections from his three runs and I'm confident he's still got a bit of improvement in him.
"Windstorm's first start for us was good as he ran third and he followed that up with an unlucky run at Sandown when he ran seventh. His last effort to run second in the David Bourke was full of merit. Munhamek beat us fair and square in the David Bourke.
"He's a very good horse and has strong form running in tougher races and he's the one to beat in the Winter Championship Final. I think Windstorm has improved with the David Bourke run under his belt. I'm confident he's a great each-way chance for punters in the final."
Beau Mertens will ride Windstorm on Saturday.
"Beau rides a lot of work for us," Bedggood said. "Beau is there every Tuesday morning riding fast-work. He's a great worker and is a very underrated jockey.
"We put Beau on a lot of horses on raceday because he's prepared to put in the hard yards. We've drawn barrier three in the Winter Championship Final so I think Beau will have Windstorm just travelling behind the pace before making his run.
"I think the 1600 metres is as far as Windstorm wants so Beau will have to time his run to perfection."
Windstorm is an $8 chance with Bet365, while the Nick Ryan-trained Munhamek is the $4.80 favourite for the feature.
Meanwhile, Mornington Glory and Keats are ready to make returns to the track for the Grand Annual Steeplechase winning jumps jockey.
"They have both done really well in their time off," Bedggood said.
"We'll look at kicking off Mornington Glory's campaign in the John Monash at Caulfield next week.
"Keats ran really well last time in work winning a few races including the Werribee Cup. We'll just tackle some of the lesser handicap races for him over the next few months."
