Talented stayer Creedence finds new lease of life under guidance of trainer Matt Cumani
Creedence continues to be a bankable revelation for new trainer Matt Cumani after the exciting stayer scored an emphatic victory in the Pat Hyland Handicap at Flemington.
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Matt Cumani is optimistic stable newcomer Creedence can continue to deliver on latent promise after emphatic victory in the Pat Hyland Handicap (2000m) at Flemington reaffirmed serious staying talent.
Cumani inherited the gelding from Lindsay Park after the five-year-old routinely produced flickers of brilliance along with disappointing efforts for Victoria’s premier outfit.
Now settled at Ballarat, Creedence has become a bankable revelation for Cumani.
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“What a horse. I’m so thrilled to have him in the stable,” he said after Creedence ($4.40 favourite) downed Vassilator ($11) and Sir Pippin ($21).
“(I’m) thankful to the owners for giving me a chance with him.
“He’s a very promising type. I know it is winter here and it’s a different kind of racing but you can’t fault the way he’s doing it.”
Cumani is confident Creedence, who was given an outstanding ride by Michael Poy, can be even more effective over longer trips.
“He’s obviously got a bit of form in his past over a bit further - up to 2800m - so we were looking at a 2500 metre race here in three weeks but he goes so well at this distance,” he said.
“Being by Helmet, he might be a question stepping him up and while he’s so well here perhaps we should stick at this distance until we’re looking for a bit of improvement and go a bit further.”
Poy agrees.
“He sure is on the rise,” he said.
“Last start we began a little awkward and were forced to go back to where we were.
“You would’ve seen him hit the line. I think he ran the fourth quickest last 200 and 400 of the meeting.
“Today we broke a bit better and didn’t lose our spot, we had that clear running where we were able to maintain our spot.
“I thought we had no luck, posted wide, but I just kept him in a rhythm and kept him flowing.
“It was good to see him hit the front and go on with it.
“It won’t surprise me if he goes on with it and once he gets to the 2400 metres, he won over the 2800 metres so he really can stay. He’s got a nice turn-of-foot for a 2400 metre horse.
“I think once you see him at 2400 metres you’ll see him at his best.
“Matt Cumani is a fantastic trainer of stayers, and Tom (Dabernig), David and Ben (Hayes) have done a fantastic job with him but Matt has really gone good with the horse and 2400 metres will be his best.”
Alcyone snares Derby slot
John Allen has made an art form of classics success over the past two years, landing the Victoria Derby in 2018 and the South Australian equivalent this season.
Having triumphed on top-class three-year-olds Extra Brut (Victoria Derby) and Russian Camelot (SA), Allen is well qualified to judge the merits of Alcyone’s classic hopes in November.
The Godolphin colt is guaranteed entry into the October 31 Victoria Derby after a gritty victory in the Byerley Handicap (1800m) over Johnny Get Angry ($6.50) and Shadow Prey ($31).
Allen believes the son of Teofilo is open to significant improvement.
“Good win. He’s still a big raw horse and hopefully he can make it there (the Derby) but he has ability and potential,” the Irishman said.
“If he has a good prep he can make it, then there’s no reason why he can’t get there.
“He travelled well. I had the front two covered, I didn’t want to get to the front too soon.
“He’s a bit lairy and had a look around when he got there. Even though he didn’t win by a big margin, I think I had a bit left, to be honest.
“With about a hundred metres to go he did pick up again so even though he didn’t win by a big margin he did have a bit up his sleeve.”
The past two Byerley winners – Lindsay Park’s Huntly Castle and Ciaron Maher’s Visao – finished ninth and eighth in subsequent Derby starts.
Alcyone is TAB second favourite for the Victoria Derby at $9 behind Cherry Tortoni ($8).
Missing detail led to Ollie stand down
The Victorian Jockeys’ Association said stewards’ decision to stand down Damien Oliver from Friday’s Geelong meeting was due in part to an oversight in communications around new COVID-19 protocols.
VJA chief executive Matt Hyland said information sent to jockeys omitted the starting date of the new trackwork protocols, causing Oliver to unintentionally breach rules by riding work at Barwon Heads on Friday morning.
Oliver was then stood down by Racing Victoria stewards from two rides — including the winning mount on Need New Friends — but escaped further penalty because of “extenuating circumstances.”
“In all the detail in the communication the one thing that was inadvertently left out was the starting date,” Hyland said.
“A lot of jockeys phoned and spoke to me and wanted clarification around what it all means because there is a fair bit of detail.
“In the (VJA) communication, there was no mention of the actual commencement date so that was an oversight that everyone is aware of now.
“I can see where the confusion came from.”
Victorian jockeys are currently split into two teams - green and gold. Until Saturday, Oliver’s green team was unable to ride trackwork. They are able to do so now at a maximum of two nominated tracks.
All jockeys must maintain log books, recording their movements.
Originally published as Talented stayer Creedence finds new lease of life under guidance of trainer Matt Cumani