Cummings approved to take over from his father
On Sunday, Edward Cummings was approved by the Australian Turf Club to train at Leilani Lodge on an interim basis. He still requires Racing NSW to upgrade his trainer’s licence from provisional to metro. “They (ATC) have provided me with the recommendation and permission to train from Leilani Lodge,” Cummings said in an update to owners.
“That permission, that note from the acting ATC CEO Steve McMahon has come through today and been forwarded on to the licensing department at Racing NSW. The matter is now before them to rubber stamp my upgrade to a metro trainers' licence with Leilani Lodge to train from.
“That means that provided everything is successful through Racing NSW, as we naturally expect, then no one loses out in this situation and we can continue to be able to train.
Edward Cummings | Image courtesy of Sportpix
“Essentially what that means is we will have the Autumn Carnival to impress all and sundry, including the board at the ATC, that the operations and efforts we have been putting in, especially for the last six months, will hopefully hold us over to maintain the stable in the family name.
“I am certainly confident that we have more than enough horsepower to make a splash in the Autumn Carnival and that will be laser focus and my sole focus for the next two months. At this stage it's a good sign for us and wonderful to receive such support from the ATC.”
Vale Michael O’Sullivan
Irish jockey Michael O’Sullivan died on Sunday morning from injuries sustained in a fall at Thules on February 8. “Michael sadly passed away in the early hours of Sunday morning surrounded by his loving family in Cork University Hospital,” Jennifer Pugh, chief medical officer of the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board told theirishfield.ie.
“We extend our appreciation to the multidisciplinary teams who provided the best of medical care to Michael, both on the racecourse and in Cork University Hospital. Michael’s family took the decision to donate his organs at this incredibly difficult time, but in doing so made a choice that will make a real difference to the lives of other patients and their families.”
The 24-year-old jockey had only been riding since May 2022 and had 76 wins.
All-Star Mile aims for Godolphin pair
Trainer James Cummings will run Pericles (Street Boss {USA}) and Tom Kitten (Harry Angel {Ire}) in Saturday’s G1 Futurity Stakes with the aim of qualifying for the upcoming G1 All-Star Mile. “If they won it, not an easy feat,” Cummings told racenet.com.au.
James Cummings | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“(Tom Kitten)’s going beautifully. He's run third in a Golden Eagle, is already a Group 1 winner (Spring Champion Stakes), placed in the right races (second in the Epsom Handicap), he's an interesting contender as a 4-year-old.”
Broadsiding and Linebacker to potentially clash in Hobartville
Co-trainer John O'Shea is looking forward to a potential clash between his 3-year-old gelding Linebacker (NZ) (Super Seth) and last season’s Champion 2YO Broadsiding (Too Darn Hot {GB}) in the G2 Hobartville Stakes on Saturday. “He has never won at six (furlongs) so we were always a bit dubious on him last week,” O'Shea told racenet.com.au.
Linebacker | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
“But he probably just executed a little poorly. He will go a lot better. I was surprised he found himself in front, it wouldn't have been our favoured thing for him. He had 2.5kg more than everyone else and got beat a length or so and gets back to his favourite haunt over 1400 metres at Rosehill.”
Maurice colt on song for Diamond
Trainer Wendy Kelly’s 2-year-old colt Katsumi Orochi (Maurice {Jpn}) will run in the G1 Blue Diamond after his debut placing in the G3 Blue Diamond Prelude (c&g). “Providing he continues the way he's going and he doesn't put the white flag up, he will continue onto the Diamond,” Kelly told racing.com.
“I guess you always hope (they will run well) and we all use things that collect data on them these days, so we've got a bit of a handle on what they can do, so I thought he would run really well. It was more worrying about how he would handle the day. But he was really good, he was like a 6-year-old gelding getting around there.”
Sires’ Produce option if Autumn Mystery misses a start
If Rory Hunter-trained 2-year-old gelding Autumn Mystery (The Autumn Sun) misses a start in the G1 Blue Diamond, he’ll be set for the G2 VRC Sires’ Produce Stakes instead. “We’re not sure; it’s 50-50. We were 35th last Monday. I’m thinking we might go close with Sydney horses staying up there,” Hunter told racing.com.
“He’s only going to get better when he steps out in trip, so (Sires’) can work for us if he doesn’t get in, as he’ll be harder to beat in that race.”
Jimmysstar fresh into Oakleigh
Trainer Ciaron Maher will run Jimmysstar (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}) fresh in the G1 Oakleigh Plate. “It’s a good kick-off for him. He’s a horse who’s rating is up now (103) and it’s a handicap. He’s won there over the trip. He has prepped up really well and I think he will improve again off his last prep,” Maher told racing.com.
Jimmysstar (NZ) | Image courtesy of Racing Photos
“I just think its good start point timing-wise. He is proven over that trip and he’s come up really well. He’ll be getting home when the race seems all over and we’ll just see how that works. It’s as short as he wants but a big field, open handicap, it could play out his way.”
Sumo Fish gives father-daughter pair a win
Trainer Wayne Wilkes is keen to set 5-year-old gelding Sumo Fish (Sebring Sun) for the final after he won Sunday’s Country Championships Qualifier at Port Macquarie, ridden by his daughter and apprentice jockey Shae. “This horse has been absolutely phenomenal for me, I can’t thank the owner enough and dad for letting me stick on him. He’s just a horse that absolutely keeps stepping up, every time you ask him for the next effort. It’s just a thrill,” Shae Wilkes told racingnsw.com.au.
“It was a perfect ride today on him, got back with a lot of speed on and she didn’t panic or anything. She was patient and got him to the outside and let him hit the line,” Wayne Wilkes said. “She does all the gallops on him basically, she does a lot of work in the stable and works tirelessly. All this is 110 per cent credit to her and what she’s doing. I'm proud of her as a father, a boss and everything.” The Final will be run on April 5.
Vet kicked at Dubbo
The races at Dubbo were delayed on Sunday after the on track veterinarian was kicked behind the starting barriers. “We are waiting for another vet. The vet got kicked behind the stalls. I don’t think it was a huge blow but he’s being attended to by the ambulance. Without a vet and with the ambos occupied, they’ve sent the horses back to the yards,” reported skyracing.com.au.
An update on his condition wasn’t available.
Trading Room wins juvenile event
Paul Wallace trained 2-year-old filly Trading Room (Kobayashi) won on debut on Sunday at Toowoomba by 1.3l for apprentice jockey Dylan Bennett. She was successful over filly Ready And Mabel (Exceedance) and filly Miss Leana (Lean Mean Machine). All three in the trifecta were on debut.
Withdrawn as a yearling, Trading Room went through the KBL Thoroughbreds draft at the Magic Millions Horses In Training Sale and was purchased by Banksia Bloodstock for $35,000. Kobayashi has one stakes winner from 127 named foals, and Trading Room is the fourth foal and first winner for Had Me At Hello (Not A Single Doubt) who won four races up to 1200 metres. Had Me At Hello is a full sister to Listed HKJC Premier Bowl-placed Tai Sing Yeh (Not a Single Doubt).
Pink Vixen strikes at Toowoomba
Kevin Kemp-trained 2-year-old filly Pink Vixen (Brave Smash {Jpn}) easily won the QTIS 2-year-old race at Toowoomba on Sunday by 2.8l for jockey Georgina Cartwright. The debutant won from filly Sweet Hesitation (Dubious) and gelding Nasiron (Sensei).
A $25,000 purchase by Kemp from Oaklands Stud at the 2024 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, Pink Vixen is the second juvenile winner for Brave Smash (Jpn) this season although he also has Listed-placed Brave Design.
She is the second foal of Emsie Is A Star (Falvelon) whose yearling full sister to Pink Vixen was withdrawn from the recent Inglis Classic Yearling Sale. Emsie Is A Star won four races, including one in Brisbane, and her dam is a half-sister to Group 3 winner and G1 Oakleigh Plate placed Catatonic (Catrail {USA}).
Crack The Shutters wins Hobart juvenile race
Stuart Gandy trained 2-year-old filly Crack The Shutters (Alpine Eagle) was coming off a second placing in the Listed Elwick Stakes on debut and duly delivered a win at Hobart on Sunday by 2l from gelding Colonel Bogey (Needs Further) and gelding Wolf Junior (Alpine Eagle). Withdrawn as a yearling, Crack The Shutters is the second winner for unraced mare Aimless (Exceed And Excel).
Around the Nation: Sunday’s highlights
Australian racing fans enjoyed eight meetings on Sunday. Brett Robb-trained 3-year-old gelding Nimble Star (Stratum Star) won at Dubbo at his second start for jockey Shayleigh Ingelse, after dumping the rider on debut. Ironically, it was jockey Clayton Gallagher who fell from Nimble Star’s debut attempt at racing, but he put together a treble at Dubbo on Sunday aboard Feimazuo (Press Statement), Onyspeed (Exosphere) and 3-year-old filly Poisen Point (NZ) (Swiss Ace). At Port Macquarie, 3-year-old filly Our Emily (Supido) won on debut.
Zoustar had a double at Ararat with Shaula and 3-year-old gelding Moonraker. At Benalla, 3-year-old colt Recon (Cosmic Force) won on debut and he was the first leg in a treble for jockey Jake Duffy who also won on Fox Appeal (Foxwedge) and Maid In Dubai (Pride Of Dubai).
Progeny of Alpine Eagle won the first three races on the card at Hobart on Sunday, led by stakes-placed juvenile Crack The Shutters. Trainer John Blacker also enjoyed a treble with Caught Alight (Alpine Eagle), Sandual (Santos), and Vintage Diesel (NZ) (He’s Remarkable {NZ}).
Jockey fined for punching a wall
Jockey Kyle Wilson-Taylor pleaded guilty to a charge relating to rule AR 228(b) after he punched a wall in the jockey's room following a steward’s inquiry into interference in the last at Eagle Farm. “Wilson-Taylor was fined $1000, with $500 suspended for two years, and directed by stewards to contact the Brisbane Racing Club to rectify the damaged caused,” the stewards' report reads.
Trainer seeking Kiwi slot for exciting Pivotal Ten
After 3-year-old filly Pivotal Ten (NZ) (Ten Sovereigns {Ire}) demolished Saturday’s Listed Southland Guineas field by over 8l, trainer-jockey Samantha Wynne is looking for stronger company. “I’ve got my eye on the Wellington Guineas as long as she is happy and healthy,” Wynne told Loveracing.nz.
Pivotel Ten (NZ) | Image courtesy of Monica Toretto
“If someone called (about the NZB Kiwi) we would have to consider it as you would be mad not to as we would be proud to represent the South. I’m not sure we know just what grade of horse we are up to beating but we will know more when she gets to Wellington.”
Magnitude leaps to front of Derby contention
In winning Saturday’s G2 Risen Star Stakes, Magnitude (USA) (Not This Time {USA}) earned 50 points on the Road to the G1 Kentucky Derby. “He needed to make the decision to get over,” trainer Steve Asmussen said.
“He took the initiative and was very positive with what he wanted to do and the horse responded for him. I think the foundation (of the Road to the Derby at Fair Grounds), the races, being here staying in the system and what you can develop–it's why we're here. The horse has not missed a single day, a single oat. Scott (Blasi, assistant trainer) has done a tremendous job with him. We always thought he was capable of more. We put him where he needed to be, played the bias of the racetrack and he took advantage of it.”
Magnitude became the 22nd graded stakes winner–and second of the day–for leading sire Not This Time.
Godolphin homebred takes out G2 Rachel Alexander
Only briefly giving her backers worry, 3-year-old filly Good Cheer (USA) (Medgalia d'Oro {USA}) rolled home the easiest of winners in the G2 Rachel Alexandra Stakes and claimed 25 points toward the Road to the Kentucky Oaks.
On a four-race win streak which started last August in her debut at Horseshoe Indianapolis, the Godolphin homebred followed that effort up with a 17-length victory against allowance runners at Churchill Downs and never slowed down from there. Claiming the Listed Rags to Riches Stakes on October 27 and the G2 Golden Rod Stakes on November 30 to wrap her 2024 season, she picked up her march to the lilies with a facile victory here.
“We're very proud of her effort to comeback like this as a 3-year-old,” said trainer Brad Cox. “Her record speaks for itself. She always shows up and runs a top effort. Today was no different. It was a short field but she still showed up to run her race. We're very proud of her and very excited about her moving forward on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks.”
Qatar meeting postponed after fall
Officials at the Qatar Racing & Equestrian Club, in consultation with horsemen, called off the remainder of Saturday's HH The Amir Trophy and Amir Sword Meeting at Al Rayyan following a nasty spill involving two horses and affecting several others with 400 metres left to race in the first of the day's events, the Irish Thoroughbred Marketing Cup over the 1600 metres.
The Ed Bethell-trained Point Lynas (Ire) (Iffraaj {GB}) was tracked to his outside by the locally-owned Surfers Paradise (Ire) (Ten Sovereigns {Ire}) into the straight, but the latter appeared to have the ground go out from under him and fell, casting jockey Szczepan Mazur to the turf over the bowed neck of his mount. Archie Watson's defending champion Brave Emperor (Ire) (Sioux Nation), the mount of Luke Morris, raced in the slipstream of Surfers Paradise into the straight but could not avoid the fallen horse immediately in front of him and went down as well. Mazur, who may have been clipped by Brave Emperor, was sitting up shortly after the incident and was later reported to have been taken to hospital, while Morris was back on his feet.
Tom Palin of Middleham Park Racing, owner of Brave Emperor, told TDN, “Thankfully, Brave Emperor seems fine but, as we all know with horses, we don't know what might show up in the morning. Luke is also fine so that's the main thing. They are going to race at Al Uqda tomorrow.”
