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By Ray Hickson

It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity for smart import Kingswood to tackle Saturday’s Listed $2 million Five Diamonds (1800m) at Rosehill and trainer Gavin Bedggood didn’t want to miss out.

He had to endure a small hiccup in the grey’s preparation and sweat on a couple of scratchings when he was left as second emergency but he was in the field by Wednesday evening and looking forward to giving Kingswood his chance.

And the trip to Sydney appeals a little more than trying to beat superstar Via Sistina down south.

“We could have stayed and run in races during Cup week but it’s massive prizemoney and he’s got form the Sydney way of going,’’ Bedggood said.

“I have a very good opinion of him, he’s a pretty handy horse I think.”

Interestingly, when owner Glyn Davies called to say he was sending a couple of horses over it wasn’t Kingswood that initially excited him.

But it didn’t take Bedggood too long to cotton on to the ability the five-year-old had when he arrived at his stable a few months ago.

“I got a random phone call from the owners and two or three days later he arrived,’’ he said.

KINGSWOOD is SW7 from 88 rnrs for Roaring Lion in the Gr3 Coongy Cup.

1/2 brother to Gr1 Eldar Eldarov

Dam SW All At Sea 1/2 to SW Alwilda d/o Gr1 Alpinista@GavinBedggood @JohnnyA_24 @Goffs1866 @Tweenhills @bloodstocknews pic.twitter.com/82GPOMRVoG

— Pedigree Update (@pedigreeupdate) October 16, 2024

“He had good European form and he was one of two horses to arrive, the other horse is called Earlswood and I was looking forward to getting him. He won his first start in Australia (in 2022) at Group 3 level and had been held in high regard but lost his way.

“I didn’t know a lot about Kingswood, he’d gone around well in the market in his first two starts in Australia and failed to deliver.

“Once we started galloping and trialling him we knew we had something pretty handy and he’s kept improving from then on.

“He’s been pretty smooth sailing since he arrived with us.”

Kingswood, $9 with TAB on Thursday, attracted support at his stable debut and went on to win easily at Sandown in late September then took it to Group 3 level and was a popular winner of the Coongy Cup (2000m) on October 16.

He was due to run at Moonee Valley 10 days later but what Bedggood suspects was a virus or some kind of infection saw him stay home that day.

Bedggood was delighted to see Kingswood draw nicely in the Five Diamonds and is confident the entire has the platform to fire once again.

“You can pretty much ride him according to the tempo,’’ he said.

“John Allen knows the horse and he has a healthy opinion of him, I don’t want to burden him with too many instructions. He knows what he’s doing.”

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday’s Rosehill meeting