Cranbourne trainer Gavin Bedggood to give Windstorm his stable debut in the last race at Sandown on Saturday

Cranbourne trainer Gavin Bedggood has a great record with online buys and he will attempt to match previous deeds with injury-plagued talent Windstorm.

Gavin Bedggood will give former WA galloper Windstorm his first start for the stable at Sandown on Saturday. Picture: Racing Photos via Getty Images.

Cranbourne trainer Gavin Bedggood was happy to take a punt on luckless but talented galloper Windstorm at an online auction.

Windstorm won seven of 14 starts for previous owner, WA businessman Bob Peters, before the now seven-year-old fetched $50,000 at an online auction in March.

Bedggood hoped to match his deeds with Keats, who was a $25,000 buy for Mailbag Bloodstock in 2022 before going on to win more than $500,000 since joining the stable.

The trainer noted Keats’ rating left him with more room to move when placing the import but Windstorm would be aimed at the top off-season races in the coming weeks.

“It’s off-season racing and where his rating’s at, we’re sort of forced to aim for those Benchmark 100 races, the Winter Championship or Swan Hill Cup, something like that,” Bedggood said.

“We’ll just take each run as it comes and reassess.”

Windstorm made a brilliant start to his career in Perth with wins at five of his first six starts before the son of Redoute’s Choice won at Listed level in October 2020.

The gelding subsequently tackled the then $7.5m Golden Eagle without success, which was Windstorm’s last run for more than three years as first a virus, then successive injuries, halted his career.

Gavin Bedggood has won more than $500,000 in prizemoney with another online buy, imported galloper Keats. Picture: Racing Photos via Getty Images.

Windstorm had two runs for previous trainer John Leek Jr, finishing midfield at Listed level before trailing the field in a Group 3 contest in the autumn.

Bedggood said Windstorm arrived at his stable in good order, which enabled him to give his recruit some alternative training leading up to his debut for the camp in Saturday’s Sportsbet Feed Handicap (1400m) at Sandown.

“He went off and did some dressage for the first three or four weeks and we just started from scratch really,” Bedggood said.

“When he came to us, he was pretty fit so we just have to do something a little bit different with him I suppose.”

Windstorm boosted Bedggood’s confidence in a strong first-up showing when he closed well for third in a Cranbourne jumpout last Monday.

“We gave him a quiet jumpout on Monday at Cranbourne,” Bedggood said.

“I thought he trialled up quite well and pulled up well so he’ll kick off on Saturday.”

Windstorm displayed enormous potential in the spring of 2020 before various issues all but halted his career. Picture: Racing Photos via Getty Images.

Windstorm has drawn barrier 8 in Saturday’s $150,000 race but Bedggood said jockey Dean Yendall would be patient on his recent acquisition.

“Saturday is just a kick-off point for him,” Bedggood said.

“It’s not a bad off-season handicap and he’ll run really well. He’s been sound as a pound and we haven’t been able to fault him at all.

“Whether he can win will all depend on tempo but he’ll be ridden in the second half of the field and as long as he’s running through the line well, I’ll be happy.

“In saying that, I’d be disappointed if he didn’t run well either going off his jumpout.”

TAB rated Windstorm as a $15 chance in its early betting on the last race of Saturday’s Sandown Hillside meeting.

Originally published as Cranbourne trainer Gavin Bedggood to give Windstorm his stable debut in the last race at Sandown on Saturday