Recording his first win for trainer Gavin Bedggood, the well-travelled Casino Prince gelding Casino Seventeen was coming off some handy runs with all falling into place on Saturday at Caulfield, with the 8yo gelding winning the $200,000 Group 3 MRC Eclipse Stakes (1800m), his fifth career black type victory.
Having been trained in every state in the country except Queensland, this time last year Casino Seventeen was racing in Western Australia where he had won the Group 2 Lee Steere Stakes (1400m), with a win in the Group 2 Perth Cup (2400m) 12 months prior.
With his first run for current trainer Gavin Bedggood back in June, the gelding has been up a while but with his runs space, Casino Seventeen jumped away the third elect and from the inside gate settled in third with behind race favourite Poison Chalice.
Appearing to control the race in front, Poison Chalice led the field into the home turn where last start Group 3 Summoned Stakes winner Rumbled Again started to make a challenge.
Jockey Mark Zahra took the favourite away from the inside, which gave Billy Egan aboard Casino Seventeen the room to come along his inside where who took the lead at the 200m mark, while Rumbled Again charged late to make it very interesting on the line.
Recording his 11th win, and fifth at black type level, Casino Seventeen defeated Rumbled Again by a close margin with Ocean Beyond working home late to take third.
With a further 22 placed performers on top of his 11 career wins, the 8yo gelding has amassed $1,632,346 in earnings having initially been purchased for $9,000 as a yearling from the draft of Widden Stud at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale - Highway Session when purchased by J Hardy.
Later purchased by Kennewell Racing Pty Ltd for $45,000 from the Clare Park Thoroughbreds draft at the Magic Millions Gold Coast 2YOs In Training Sale, the gelding has continued to highlight the toughness of the progeny of Vinery Stud’s Casino Prince who retired earlier this year after 17 seasons at stud.
Bred by Mr G Briscoe, Casino Seventeen is winner number five from five to race for Denman mare Tikal, who has a Spirit Of Boom 2yo colt in the stable of Hawkes Racing named Cantero and after slipping to Trapeze Artist last season foaled a colt this season by Tassort.
Casino Seventeen is one of 24 individual stakes winners for Casino Prince with his leading son at stud All Too Hard commanding a fee of $27,500 (inc. GST) this season at Vinery Stud.
