 |
|
 |  |  |
Group One- placed Libertini ran a brilliant 1min 7.6sec to win beat Classique Legend when resuming in the Premiere Stakes last spring before the mare ran eighth to the grey flyer in The Everest two weeks later, leading trainer Cummings to redefine his strategy for the mares next tilt at The Everest.
In an earlier interview, the leading conditioner has confirmed that owner, Gerry Harvey, is nearly onboard with his courageous suggestion!
Anthony Cummings chats to Everest Diaries about his race strategy for the mare and the other interesting stars he has at his stable.
Q: What were your take from the race that Libertini ran in last year’s Everest and how has that helped prepare her for a potential run this year?
A: She's been around this track in close to record time first up in three of her last four preparations. Then her subsequent runs have been discounted to some extent for all sorts of reasons. So, the plan this time is to go into the race first-up. For this plan of action, we need to find a slot holder that's willing to support that view.
Q: So, to reconfirm, she goes straight up to The Everest, so she will be absolutely fresh?
A: Yes, assuming she gets a slot holder to support her and the plan, it will be her first race of the preparation. Of course, she will have two trials before the race. We have to see how she does on those days to give everyone confidence. If she gives us the impression that she is happy to race to the same standard then we could go to Melbourne and run down the straight there on the last day at Flemington. So there are other opportunities for her but the main game will be her first run, which we hope is in The Everest.
In the event that she misses a slot in The Everest, there are other opportunities for her. There is a high value race at Randwick on the same day or the night before there is a Gr.1 Sprint at Mooney Valley.
 |  |  |
Q: Other than Libertini who are the other stable stars that you hope to see doing well this season?
A: We had a horse trial very well recently called Nancho. He is a Group One winner in Germany and has come back in good style. He's had several preparations since arriving from Hungary and is coming back pretty much on top of his game now. The plan is for him to head towards some of the main events in the forthcoming carnival. We haven’t yet worked out which races he will be participating in. His jockey thought he felt quite sharp and, on that basis, he thought he was an unlikely sort of stayer. But I pointed out to him afterwards that he has already won a Group One at 2400m on a soft group but seeing how sharp he is, he is likely to do it at a high level. In my opinion, he could be a Melbourne Cup horse. He was one of the best horses to run in Germany.
Q: Who do you feel is a rising star in the country? A person, not a horse.
A: Okay so, two legs instead of four. Well, I have to say Jamie Kah has come up very quickly with a very strong season in Melbourne and beyond. She has momentum and I think will build on her success as she is a real rising star.
Q: Please tell us about your favorite racehorse of all time and your favorite racecourse of all time?
A: When it comes to racecourses. It’s a dead heat between Flemington and Randwick. Both give horses every chance and both hold great memories for me, some for personal milestones and some from when I was with my father.
When it comes to horses, I think a dead heat again between Fiveandahalfstar and Shaftesbury Avenue. Fiveandahalfstar won the VRC Derby and the Tancred for me which was very exciting. With long-term clients and friends Julia Ritchie, Hal Dyball and JP Cuvellier, it was a culmination of a ten-year history with his pedigree. I trained his grandmother - on both sides of his pedigree, trained and owned his mother and father and himself.
Shaftesbury Avenue was one of my favorites in my time with dad. He was a versatile racehorse who won Group One races from 1,000 to 2,000 metres and was placed in the Japan Cup over 2,400 metres. He was a pretty special horse, one that I picked out at first sight. I was with my dad at the time who had a similar view, as did John Inglis, who joined Dad in a partnership with the breeders and a mate to race him together. He cost only A$60,000 as a yearling but was just a Champion.
Q: What's so what do you think of The Everest as a concept? Did you imagine the sort of popularity it has picked up?
A: I think the race has been widely accepted amongst Australian racegoers and investors and slot holders. I the slots are now sold at a premium and while the one in America really didn't take off, it's flourished here. It's right to say that it speaks very well of Australian racing and its patrons.
We don’t rely on generations past to look back on for good ideas. we are well placed with innovative leadership to keep coming up with new ones and The Everest is a great new idea.
Q: Have you bought or received any, interesting horses this year?
A: Yes, there is one called Stray. She will do well. I think she'll make it to Group One standard. She’s had one start in a two-year-old handicap that was a Stakes-grade race in disguise. She's back at the stable now and looks fantastic.
So, the broodmare was gifted to me and the stallion we were using was a private stallion. We wanted to test him to see if he was doing his job properly as the mare he had been serving hadn’t gone in foal. So, we mated him with this mare and I finished up with this filly. In fact, Stray is the only progeny of the stallion so far.
I'm just sitting here waiting for her to have her first run back in about three weeks’ time and then on towards the Oaks in Victoria. We'll see what that looks like - It is a funny business.
She is a real stray and a really good experiment.
Q: Tell us about an interesting movie that you’ve really enjoyed recently.
A: I really enjoyed watching Christopher Nolan s Tenet with my wife on Netflix. It was the perfect opportunity to stop thinking about horses for a while.