Godolphin gelding Polyglot earns another shot at stakes racing after a commanding first-up win at Rosehill

Trainer James Cummings has a high opinion of Polyglot and is considering a return to stakes racing for the recently gelded son of former champion Lonhro after his stylish Rosehill win.

Polyglot resumed as a gelding with a smart win at Rosehill. Picture: Getty Images

Untapped talent Polyglot let his performance do the talking when the Godolphin galloper produced a superb return at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.

A polyglot is someone who knows how to use and talk multiple languages while the equine namesake showed off his skill in the Precise Air Benchmark 72 Handicap (1100m).

“If he keeps winning like that, he is speaking our language,” trainer James Cummings quipped.

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Polyglot is still only lightly-raced but highlighted his significant potential with a commanding first-up performance.

Champion jockey James McDonald landed in the perfect spot in behind the leaders on the $1.70 favourite and looked the winner a long way from home.

Polyglot hit the front with a furlong remaining and raced away for a 1½-length success from Ron Quinton’s Rantan ($10) and the Michael, John and Wayne Hawkes-trained Winchester ($6.50).

“He has come back beautifully and it should set him up nicely for the rest of the preparation,” Cummings said.

“We have a couple of options going forward but his first run as a gelding, they always run well.

“I think he is pretty smart.”

McDonald, who won the opening event on boom colt Wodeton, returned to the saddle on Friday night at Canterbury but was riding at his first Sydney Saturday meeting in more than two months.

Victory ✌️ Victoire 🇫🇷 Victoria 🇪🇸

Polyglot is too good for them at Rosehill and that's an early double for @mcacajamez!@JamesCummings88 | @godolphin | @aus_turf_clubpic.twitter.com/tTR0TUVL6f

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) January 18, 2025

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He had taken Polyglot for a spin in his most recent trial win and was filled with confidence heading into the gelding’s return.

“That trial was hard to miss,” McDonald said.

“He oozed a lot of confidence and breezed through the workout really nicely.

“Coming here I had a bit of confidence, obviously first up wet ground is never ideal but he did a good job.

“He’s above average.”

McDonald will be in Hong Kong on Sunday to ride at the Group 1 meeting at Sha Tin before jetting off to Dubai on Sunday evening where he will prepare to ride Hong Kong superstar Romantic Warrior in the Group 1 Jebel Hatta in Dubai on January 24.

Meanwhile, Cummings will now consider giving Polyglot another crack in stakes grade in three weeks’ time.

“We’ll reflect on the ratings after his win today, there is a handicap for three and four-year-olds in a couple of weeks or if we want to step him up we could go to the Eskimo Prince in three weeks,” he said.

“We will make that decision in the next week. But I like the way he has returned.”

"He's come back beautifully!"

Here’s what @JamesCummings88 and @mcacajamez made of Polyglot’s Rosehill win today!@godolphin | @aus_turf_clubpic.twitter.com/um3B71DHv1

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) January 18, 2025

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The Group 3 $250,000 Eskimo Prince Stakes (1200m) will be run at Royal Randwick on February 8 while there is a suitable 1200m event a week earlier at Rosehill Gardens.

Polyglot is the grandson of Golden Slipper winner Forensics and is a half-brother to Godolphin’s multiple stakes winner Tamerlane.

He is by Lonhro out of the mare Wordcraft, hence the name Polyglot.

Godolphin made the call to geld the well-bred three-year-old following his last spring run when he was fifth in the Listed Poseidon Stakes (1100m) at Flemington on September 14.

“We had a decision to make, we were faced with it at the end of last preparation,” Cummings said.

“We are comfortable with that and think we’ve unlocked the potential of a really smart horse.”

“I would love to see him get up to seven furlongs or a mile but we will see and just let it unfold for him with a couple of six furlong races coming up over the next few weeks.”

Runner up Rantan made her run in the inferior ground closer to the fence and continues to race consistently this preparation.

The highly-rated Iron Hawk didn’t let down as expected in the soft going and finished a touch over five lengths off the winner.

Originally published as Godolphin gelding Polyglot earns another shot at stakes racing after a commanding first-up win at Rosehill