Hedged gelded and set to let rip around The Valley

Speedy Capitalist gelding Hedged will be out to right the wrongs of his debut performance this Saturday when he steps out for Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr in the 1000-metre two-year-old event at The Valley. Bought for $140,000 at the 2022 Magic Millions Sales on the Gold Coast, Hedged has looked a star at the jump outs every time he has stepped out, winning his last four in fast time. Unfortunately though, after being well backed on his first outing at the races at Ballarat, he endured a tough run from a wide barrier and soon went shin sore thereafter, causing the stable to abort his first racing preparation. He managed to hang onto third placing as the even-money favourite, but trainer Mick Price says he knew the horse was capable of more.Hedged was gelded less than a month after his debut run, a decision that was mutual between both Price &amp; Kent Jnr, and the Roll The Dice Racing Team who syndicate the horse. Since then, he’s had a few months in the paddock and has seemingly furnished into an exciting three-year-old prospect this spring, with Saturday’s acid test to determine just how far he has come.“I tried to keep him a colt”, Mick Price said.&nbsp; “But he was shin sore after he went to Ballarat, which is why if you’re a punter that you’ll get reasonably good odds about him on Saturday, because he’s had a run and he’s had a blemish.&nbsp; “He didn’t run bad, but I wouldn’t be scared to have a punt on him because he’s improved out of sight since he’s been gelded, he’s grown.” Roll The Dice Director of Strategy Leigh Saville echoed the thoughts of Mick Price, and is hoping for a bold showing this Saturday. “He was certainly a bit of a raw colt back then, but he’s been gelded and hopefully we can see what he can do on the racetrack now.” Mick Price &amp; Michael Kent Jnr and the Roll The Dice Racing Team have already tasted two-year-old success in the past with another Capitalist speedster in Profiteer. Profiteer banked his owners $1.5 million in prizemoney on the track and started favourite in the 2021 Charter Keck Cramer Moir Stakes, before running 6th. He now stands at stud with Newgate Farm and his progeny will be on the market as early as 2024.&nbsp; While Hedged is yet to prove himself at that level just yet, there are some similarities between the pair, with sheer speed and power both their main asset. Both Price &amp; Kent Jnr and Roll The Dice are very hopeful that Hedged will prove his longevity on the racetrack though and train on into his three-year-old season, with the racing year turning over this Tuesday, 1 August. “Hedged is out of Fastnet Rock mare. He’s a bit bigger and rangier, and we think he could get a strong 1200 (metres) and even 1400 in time and be better as a three-year-old, which obviously he’s coming into his three-year-old season shortly”, Saville added. &nbsp;Hedged drew barrier six of 12 on Wednesday morning after acceptances came out and will be ridden by Beau Mertens, who has done a lot of the work on him in his jump outs. One of his main competitors could be the Matt Laurie trained Archo Nacho, who looked superb in his gallop at The Valley on Tuesday morning. &nbsp;&nbsp;