Ray Thomas reviews a big Saturday of racing at Royal Randwick

It is a big week for the Sydney racing landscape with the vote on the sale of Rosehill while James Cummings will learn his fate at Leilani Lodge.

Trainer James Cummings has a big week ahead

The Australian Turf Club board must deal with two significant issues this week – which trainer is allocated Leilani Lodge at Royal Randwick and the outcome of the members vote on the Rosehill sale proposal.

The board is understood to be meeting Monday and one of the agenda items is to discuss who gets the keys to the vacant Randwick stables.

At least three trainers have made application for Leilani Lodge including Godolphin’s James Cummings.

The Cummings family has trained out of the famous stable complex since James’s grandfather, the legendary Bart Cummings moved in there more than 50 years ago.

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James Cummings is understandably sweating on the ATC’s call after announcing plans last month to become a public trainer when Godolphin Australia decided to move away from its private training model.

Cummings has enjoyed phenomenal success with Godolphin over the last eight years, preparing 50 Group 1 winners for the “Blue Army” with the likes of Anamoe, Broadsiding, Cascadian, Hartnell, Alizee and Bivouac.

He will continue training some of Godolphin’s horses next season including Group 1 winners Tom Kitten and Zardozi, and gifted rising three-year-old filly Tempted.

The famous Leilani Lodge stables at Randwick

But if the ATC decides not to give Cummings Leilani Lodge then the club must find another set of stables for at least 50 horses to keep the young trainer in Sydney racing.

Cummings is one of the nation’s elite trainers, he’s media savvy and popular with punters, and Sydney racing is more competitive if he has a permanent stable presence here.

Then on Tuesday, it is the ATC board’s time to sweat as it awaits the result of a crucial members vote on the $5 billion Rosehill sale proposal.

READ: Tuesday is D-Day for Rosehill sale decision

This issue has split the board and the racing industry, and was the talk of the track at Royal Randwick last Saturday.

The pros and cons of selling Rosehill, home of the Golden Slipper, has for months prompted robust debate.

If members vote in favour of selling Rosehill, the land will be used to build 25,000 new homes while ATC has unveiled plans to redevelop Warwick Farm and build a new training facility near Penrith.

But the “no” vote is still favourite with many leading industry figures against selling Rosehill, the ATC’s core asset.

ATC expects at least half of the club’s membership base of nearly 11,500 to vote on the issue.

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Meanwhile, outstanding seven-year-old Private Eye will finally get to barrier trial at Warwick Farm on Monday ahead of his return in the Group 1 $1 million Kingsford Smith Cup (1300m) at Eagle Farm next Saturday.

Private Eye, winner of $11.9 million prizemoney, was due to trial last week but wet weather forced the scheduled Canterbury trial session to be cancelled twice.

Private Eye will trial on Monday ahead of a return to racing at Eagle Farm next Saturday Picture: George Sal

Trainer Joe Pride has already given Private Eye two barrier trials and said the sprinter will only be out to “stretch his legs” in the 800m Warwick Farm heat to prepare for Saturday’s big race.

Private Eye is currently at $13 in early TAB Fixed Odds betting for the Kingsford Smith Cup behind Joliestar at $3.50 and Giga Kick at $4.

Sunshine In Paris, winner of the Doomben 10,000, is at $6 for the Eagle Farm sprint but the brilliant mare has already been sent to the spelling paddock and will be aimed at the $20 million The Everest in spring.

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FIVE TO FOLLOW

Grand Larceny (race 6) was aiming for his fourth consecutive win and although his streak ended, his fast finishing second was a full of merit. The Team Hawkes-trained sprinter was racing in restricted room early in the straight but once he worked into the clear, he produced the fastest closing sectionals of the meeting to lose narrowly.

Agarwood (race 1) is only a small filly but she is big on ability. She made it two starts for two wins and like she did on debut at Warwick Farm, the best part of her race was her finishing speed. Agarwood, trained by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, is a natural talent and will only improve with physical maturity.

Let’s Fly (race 4) had to do a bit of work early to eventually settle outside the leader but then coming to the turn, it was apparent she was still full of running. Let’s Fly exploded clear of her rivals to win by nearly six lengths, relishing the heavy track conditions. She deserves her chance in the Queensland Oaks.

Flying Embers (race 2) was never closer than three-wide and raced without cover throughout the race but still forged clear to win decisively. There was no fluke about the win and she improved her record to four wins from eight starts. Under-rated filly who can be placed to advantage again.

Miss Kim Kar (race 10) went very wide on the home turn and probably found betting going near the outside rail but she accelerated brilliantly to zoom past Flying Thinker near the line with that duo gapping their rivals

CRUNCH TIME

- Grand Larceny (race 6) charged home from back in the field to finish a close second to Storm The Ramparts. With the extremely heavy track conditions, this was not a day conducive to fast times but Grand Larceny’s final 600m of 35.63s and closing 200m of 12.64s were the best sectionals of the meeting.

- Agarwood (race 1) led early and controlled the tempo before sprinting her final 600m in 37.24s to win easily. Her sectional was the fastest all meeting by a race winner with the exception of the 1000m race won by Storm The Ramparts. Agarwood’s 200m split from the 400m of 11.94s was also one of the fastest of the day.

Agarwood leads all the way and dominates in the first at Randwick! 💥@GaiWaterhouse1pic.twitter.com/vkNlKS8Fts

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) May 24, 2025

- Let’s Fly (race 4) settled outside the leader then ripped her home final 600m in 37.36s, an impressive burst of closing speed at the end of an 1800m race in very testing conditions.

- Miss Kim Kar (race 10) made her run wide out on the track but her effort to run her final 600m in 37.55s to win the final race of the afternoon was very good.

- Hollywood Hero (race 8) took the short way home along the inside rail but his final 600m of 13.90s was the slowest by any winner at the meeting and emphasised how heavy the track was on the inside late in the day.

WHAT THEY SAID

- “I came back at a tricky time during the (autumn) carnival but everything happens for a reason. This is the best I have ever felt on a horse, physically and emotionally, and I’m really enjoying my riding,’’ said jockey Dylan Gibbons after his wins on Hollywood Hero and Miss Kim Kar.

- “Hollywood Hero is a strange horse as he just has to be completely switched off early in his races. I emphasised that to Dylan and he was on the same page. It was a great ride,’’ said trainer Bjorn Baker.

Hollywood Hero takes the inside alley and wins well at Randwick! 👏@BBakerRacing | @djgibbons22pic.twitter.com/yZt4dSc3Og

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) May 24, 2025

- “It was a very easy watch. Adam (Hyeronimus, jockey) controlled it in front, the track raced beautifully and she’s a terrific filly. This was only her second run, we know she handles wet tracks so she ticked that box, and was drawing away on the line,’’ said Tulloch Lodge stable representative Neil Paine after Agarwood’s easy win.

- “This horse is a very good wet-tracker, that was the big ace up his sleeve today,’’ said Joe Pride, trainer of Storm The Ramparts.

- “I have no doubt in time he will make a very nice horse,’’ said Michael Hawkes, trainer of Spione.

STEWARDS SAY

■ Providence (race 1) was ridden by replacement jockey Tyler Schiller after Rory Hutchings was overweight. Subsequently, Hutchings pleaded guilty to a charge that he intentionally presented to scales to weigh out without his safety vest in an endeavour to make the allotted weight. Hutchings was also found for making an inappropriate comment to the Clerk of Scales. Hutchings was found guilty of both charges and issues with two suspensions, to be served concurrently, starting June 1 and ending June 29.

■ Flying Embers (race 2) began awkwardly then near the 1300m was steadied after improving onto the heels of First Mission. She raced wide and without cover throughout the event but still scored a tough, deserving win.

■ A Pound Of Salt (race 3) was held up for clear running in the early part of the home straight, then passing the 200m was momentarily held up when being shifted to the outside to find clear running where he finished fast to win.

A Pound Of Salt ducks and weaves through the pack to win at Randwick! 🙌@ZacLloydx | @Howlettracing_pic.twitter.com/8VulCRuPbO

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) May 24, 2025

■ Sisu Spirit (race 4) came under heavy pressure from the 700m and did not respond to his riding, losing ground rounding the home turn. Jockey Adam Hyeronimus eased Sisu Spirit down over the final 300m and felt that the effects of a tough run at Wyong on a heavy tack may contributed to the gelding’s disappointing performance.

■ Wuddzz (race 5) was slow to begin and from a wide barrier then was shifted behind runners in the early stages. Held up rounding the home turn before running on strongly to finish second.

■ Collect Your Cash (race 7) did not respond to her riding in the testing going and when out of contention was eased down over the final 400m. A post-race veterinary examination revealed Collect Your Cash to be lame (2/5) in the near-hind leg.

RANDWICK SNAPSHOT WITH RON DUFFICY 

RUN OF THE DAY

Obviously with the very testing conditions its hard to identify what was the run of the day but you have to like the look of the two-year-old filly Agarwood who has now done the job twice on wet and dry. She’s still untapped.

FORGET THEY RAN

This track was so wet even proven wet trackers failed. Treat this form with care as its rare we race on a track as heavy as this.

HORSE TO FOLLOW

I like the look of Grand Larceny who was beaten but far from disgraced considering circumstances. He is still early in his preparation and I’m convinced he has much more to offer moving forward.

RIDE OF THE DAY

It was great to see Dylan Gibbons go home with a winning double. He has been off with injury of late and this is what he needed to get back on track with more opportunities.

NSW RACING – THE WEEK AHEAD

What’s on in NSW racing this week:

Monday: Newcastle, Bathurst

Tuesday: Hawkesbury, Albury

Wednesday: Canterbury

Thursday: Gosford, Armidale

Friday: Casino, Goulburn

Saturday: Rosehill Gardens, Kembla Grange

Sunday: Murwillumbah, Muswellbrook

Originally published as Ray Thomas reviews a big Saturday of racing at Royal Randwick