Cover image courtesy of the Victorian Racing Club
When Mistavain won at Werribee in 2024, several of his owners received VOBIS vouchers. Rather than let them sit unused, trainer Gavin Bedggood convinced them to roll the vouchers into a neat Alabama Express yearling he thought had been overlooked.
That horse was Almontego and two starts into his career, he's already won at Flemington, banked $90,000 in prizemoney and is being aimed towards the G3 Vain Stakes.
“We had a horse called Mistavain that won a maiden at Werribee, and a lot of the ownership from him had a VOBIS voucher,” trainer Gavin Bedggood said.
Mistavain (Sioux Nation {USA}) has won three races and his maiden win was at Werribee in May 2024. Of the nine owners in Mistavain four are also in Almontego, being Baxter Lodge and the Baxter Lodge Racing No 1 syndicate, G K Racing, and Mr BJ Moloney.
“I bought Almontego for not a lot of money, and I rang them up and said that he would be the perfect horse to put your voucher in, and off we went.”
“I bought Almontego for not a lot of money, and I rang them up and said that he would be the perfect horse to put your voucher in, and off we went.” - Gavin Bedggood
Bedggood and Suman Hedge Bloodstock (FBAA) paid the $25,000 for Almontego at the 2024 Inglis Premiership Yearling Sale from Blue Gum Farm's draft.
Almontego as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
Potential stakes pathway
The owners in Mistavain have continued to enjoy him too with the now 6-year-old gelding having won three times from 22 starts and as well as the VOBIS vouchers, he’s also earned over $149,000.
Having ‘Vain’ in his name adds a further touch of irony as those owners who used their vouchers from Mistavain’s win to jump into Almontego are in for a big ride, with Almontego being set on a potential stakes pathway.
“There's two options for him. It's either the Vain Stakes at Caulfield in two weeks' time, or you wait an extra week and there's a 1000-metre 3-year-old race at Sandown,” said Bedggood. Agent Suman Hedge said Almontego will likely spell after that as this is his first preparation.
The G3 Vain Stakes is often used as a launching pad for bigger spring targets with the likes of Cylinder, Bivouac, Russian Revolution, and Giga Kick (Scissor Kick) on the recent honour board. The 2024 winner Band Of Brothers (Omaha Beach {USA}) won the Listed Ramornie Handicap over this winter.
Suman Hedge | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Neat horses make value buys
Both Bedggood and Hedge agree that the reason Almontego was great value buying was his size. It's a highly commercial family that includes dual Group 1 winner Loving Gaby (I Am Invincible).
“He wasn't overly big, but he was neat and well put together, and that's what I liked about him. I haven't had a lot of them (progeny of Alabama Express). I thought he was very well priced for what he was, so that was my attraction,” Bedggood said.
“He (Almontego) wasn't overly big, but he was neat and well put together, and that's what I liked about him... I thought he was very well priced... that was my attraction.” - Gavin Bedggood
Almontego is the first foal out of Montefino Miss (Nicconi), an unraced daughter of G1 Goodwood Handicap winner Velocitea (NZ) (Volksraad {GB}). Velocitea is a half-sister to Listed Southland Guineas victor Weaponry (NZ) (Declaration Of War {USA}) and Maastricht (NZ) (Mastercraftsman {GB}), the dam of Loving Gaby, whose daughter Just Like Gaby (Pierata) was also a winner on the Flemington card.
Montefino Miss | Image courtesy of Inglis
“He's a nice horse. He’s only a medium-sized horse, not a big robust leggy thing, but I think what attracted us to him was that he’s just an extremely well balanced athletic horse and looked like he'd come early,” Suman Hedge said.
“I also had a bit of a line of sight on him as he came from Blue Gum and obviously, I also work with Trilogy and knowing the horse’s background was helpful too.
“Anything from those farms that I deal with like Milburn, Riverstone Lodge, Blue Gum, can be quite advantageous because you know all the background of the horse. You’ve got extra intel about their temperaments and if they’ve had any issues along the way. It’s valuable information.”
Alabama Express stood for $22,000 inc GST in 2022 when Almontego was conceived.
Alabama Express | Standing at Yulong Stud NSW
“He was very cheap. And from such a prolific farm and by really promising stallion with nothing wrong with him, just a bit neat. We spoke about this with The Machine Gun earlier this year. What people are looking for and what runs, is not always the same thing.
“With those neater types, you worry whether they'll have enough scope, and other horses are getting bigger and they might stagnate a little bit later on. That's probably the biggest risk of it, but we see older horses too, if you’re talented you can overcome a lot.”
A hard-working trainer
While the owners of Almontego will be thrilled with the results already with more promised as we head into the spring, Hedge wanted to shout out Gavin Bedggood for his part in the Almontego story.
“I think he's one of the most underrated trainers in the country. I don't know if there's a harder worker than him. He's across every detail of training, and he’s a great judge of yearlings, never spending much,” Hedge said.
“I think he's (Gavin Bedggood) one of the most underrated trainers in the country. I don't know if there's a harder worker than him. He's across every detail of training, and he’s a great judge of yearlings, never spending much.” - Suman Hedge
“I feel he's a bit of a victim of his success, because he's developed a reputation of being able to improve tried horses and he does that really well. He’s shown a real ability to improve horses, but this industry tends to pigeonhole people.”
Gavin Bedggood | Image courtesy of Racing Photos
Hedge spoke about people seeing trainers with this skill and sending them horses that don’t have the capacity to be improved, so it’s a double-edged sword when a trainer demonstrates this ability.
“When I see someone like him who can transform a horse that isn’t performing, I have so much more confidence in their ability with good young stock.
“From an agent's point of view, I purposely identify the people who are most talented horse people. It's a smart move as an agent. They make you look good because they do a good job. You don't have to worry about it for your clients and you're giving yourself the best chance and I've not seen anyone more talented than him.”
Alabama Express on the rise
While Bedggood hasn’t had many through his stable by Alabama Express, Hedge has seen all his yearlings at the sales and has a big opinion of the stallion. His oldest crop have just turned five and he’s responsible for seven stakes winners led by multiple Group 1 winner Treasurethe Moment.
Treasurethe Moment | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“At the sales, they're athletic, they're very good movers with clean hocks. They’re well balanced and from what I’ve seen they have reasonable temperaments,” Hedge said.
“We've bought a few and he’s the horse we’ve shortlisted the most by this year. Every time I send them to the breakers, they say, ‘this horse gives the riders a great feel’. I think as a stallion, he’s got levels still to come. He’s at a great farm with reserves of quality mares.”
“I think as a stallion, he’s (Alabama Express) got levels still to come. He’s at a great farm with reserves of quality mares.” - Suman Hedge
Alabama Express’s 2023 crop, of which Almontego is a member, is led by Listed Blue Diamond Preview (c&g) winner Alibaba. He has 138 live foals who have just turned two, and a further 172 foals who are now yearlings. Alabama Express had a fee rise to $66,000 inc GST in 2025 and covered 252 mares. In 2026, he remains at the same fee and has been moved to Yulong’s new Hunter Valley farm.
