James Cummings eyeing Magic Millions Classic with Exhilarates

James Cummings will get the chance to do what his famous grandfather did twice after Exhilarates put herself in the frame for the $2m Magic Millions 2YO Classic with a dominant win at the Gold Coast.

Jockey Kerrin McEvoy rides Exhilarates to victory in race 2 during Aquis Ladies Day race day at the Gold Coast Turf Club, Saturday, January 5, 2019. (AAP Image/Trackside Photography, Grant Peters) NO ARCHIVING, EDITORIAL USE ONLY

JAMES Cummings will get the chance to do what his famous grandfather did twice after Exhilarates put herself in the frame for next Saturday’s $2 million Magic Millions 2YO Classic with a dominant win at the Gold Coast.

Under a confident Kerrin McEvoy ride, Exhilarates settled closer to the speed with blinkers on, let down nicely and comfortably held Lubuk and The Odyssey.

Bart Cummings won the MM fillies division in 1989 with Malibu Magic and then the Classic itself with Mimi Lebrock in 2007.

The Cups King’s grandson noted it was an important milestone for Godolphin and Sheikh Mohammed, after the team re-entered the buying bench after a long absence last year.

Exhilarates takes out the sixth race at @GCTurfClub. Trainer @JamesCummings88 and jockey @KPMcEvoy were full of praise after the win. Hear what they had to say about her chances in the Magic Millions 2YO Classic. @mmsnippets @godolphin pic.twitter.com/KQFbVYslcg

— Sky Racing (@SkyRacingAU) January 5, 2019

“It’s exciting for the team to have a two-year-old in the Magic Millions the first year we’ve been active again in the Magic Millions yearling market,” Cummings said.

Exhilarates was a $600,000 purchase, being by champion sire Snitzel from the Blue Diamond winner Samaready.

“Early on she wasn’t showing she was any Samaready and to her credit she probably isn’t, but it’s an open race next weekend and she’s going to arrive a fit horse on the scene, in good form with good seasoning,” Cummings said.

“The way she was poised before the turn and let down sharply looked like the type of performance you are going to need in seven days.

“That’s the perfect gallop for her seven days out from the Grand Final.”

Exhilarates will back up in the Magic Millions 2YO Classic. Picture: AAP

Cummings put the blinkers back on Saturday because she’s such a laidback, relaxed filly.

“There have been times we have needed to do different things with her and she’s a world apart from the horse you saw on debut at Rosehill a couple of months ago and she’s really flying along now,” he said. “This was an important moment for Exhilarates but she’s passed with flying colours.”

McEvoy felt the blinkers “sharpened” Exhilarates up, but also a better run in transit was important compared to what happened when she was second to Unite And Conquer at Wyong.

“The other day we got screwed sideways and today she was able to hold a better spot from that draw and that proved a good move,” he said. “If she can back up, you never know week to week with two-year-olds, she’s going to run a nice bold race.”

Kerrin McEvoy and James Cummings were delighted with Exhilarates big win. Picture: Darren Winningham

McEvoy said from the 500m point onwards, he was confident of winning.

“She had a look around when she hit the front so there’s probably a bit more to come when she steps into stronger grade,” he said.

McEvoy has had a long association with Sheikh Mohammed and Godolphin, capped most recently by winning last year’s Melbourne Cup on Cross Counter in the famous colours.

He will break new ground again on Saturday, riding his first Magic Millions runner for Godolphin.

Apprentice shines in city

GUN Toowoomba apprentice Baylee Nothdurft made the perfect start to his Saturday city career when landing Barefoot an easy winner for trainer Tony Sears on the Gold Coast.

In a solidly run race, Northdurft was happy to settle the favourite well off the speed and judged the tempo to a nicety, with the filly chiming in at the 300m and going away to win easily in the QTIS 3YO Handicap (1800m).

Nothdurft, who is apprenticed to Lindsay Hatch, rode 105 winners over the past two seasons, with a tick over half of them on his home track and has long been regarded as one of the state’s most talented young riders.

He has been keen to get his Saturday ticket for some time, but Hatch wanted to make certain he was ready for the transition and held him back a little longer.

“I wanted to come a bit earlier, but Lindsay said I wasn’t ready and I’m grateful for that now,” Nothdurft said. “Little things I had to keep improving on that Lindsay wanted, so I kept working on those hard.”

Baylee Nothdurft scored an early win on Barefoot at Gold Coast. Picture: Richard Gosling

Nothdurft has been riding midweeks for a few months, but was champing at the bit to get his chance on a Saturday. “To get a good start is an unreal feeling,” he said.

Nothdurft, who still has two years to run on his apprenticeship, was given the green light to ride on Wednesday and was given the opportunity when Michael Cahill agreed to step aside.

“He rides very well this boy and full credit to the way he rode her,” Sears said.

“I must thank Michael Cahill, too. He will get back on her, but was good enough to give Baylee some good hints on how to ride her and told him to ride her quiet and that she should finish too good.”

Barefoot, who started $2.20 after getting into odds-on, was beaten over 1600m at the Sunshine Coast last time, but Sears said he was always confident she would see out the 1800m of Saturday’s event.

“The other day the race was run real bad and she never got her chance and she possibly wasn’t quite at her top either,” he said. “Peter Spry is my main trackwork rider. He worked her on Tuesday morning and said ‘it won’t get beat’.

“When he says that … if he puts $10 on them you want to be on them.”