James Cummings snares first Stradbroke Handicap with Trekking
James Cummings paid tribute to his father and grandfather after Godolphin sprinter Trekking stormed to victory in the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap at Eagle Farm.
SuperRacing
Don't miss out on the headlines from SuperRacing. Followed categories will be added to My News.
The Cummings dynasty added another chapter to its incredible history as punters finally nailed the Stradbroke with Trekking’s dominant win in the $1.5 Million feature yesterday.
Bart Cummings won the Stradbroke four times and now his grandson James is also on the honour roll of the famous sprint.
It capped a memorable day for the family, with James’ dad Anthony winning the Group 1 J.J. Atkins for a second time earlier with the highly promising Prince Fawaz.
Cummings Jnr paid tribute to both his father and grandfather as Trekking returned to scale under big-race whiz Kerrin McEvoy.
''BART WOULD BE PROUD'' - @KpMcEvoy wins another G1 in the @godolphin blue and and Greg Radley suggested to trainer @JamesCummings88 that Trekking's win would have made his grandfather a happy man @racing_qld @BrisRacingClub @raceqld @HylandSamuel. pic.twitter.com/aWXjNBGf0B
— Sky Racing (@SkyRacingAU) June 8, 2019
“If anybody thinks they’ve got any idea on how to program a horse, go and have a look at the way he programmed Prince Fawaz,” Cummings said.
“Learning from Dad, learning from Bart, you can’t imagine the university that I’ve been able to sit through. For the Cummings’ to win two of the big Group 1s here today is a pretty special day for the family.”
Godolphin’s head trainer in Australia suggested the team had been very confident of success with Trekking since his work on Tuesday.
“We had him bang on this week and there was a lot of confidence around him,” he said.
“You can’t ever second-guess a Stradbroke or think you might have one in the bag. These big
Group 1 handicaps are thrilling in their own way and to see him cruise up and win in pretty painless fashion was extremely satisfying.”Trekking is the first favourite to win the Stradbroke since Black Piranha in 2009.
It continued Kerrin McEvoy’s extraordinary record in Australia’s biggest races over the past three years.
Since 2016, McEvoy has won no less than 12 races worth $1 million or more, including two Melbourne Cups and the first two runnings of The Everest, plus this year’s $2 Million Magic Millions 2YO Classic.
He has built an excellent record in Queensland, with his tally of Group 1 wins here sitting at 15 after Trekking and Prince Fawaz on Saturday.
“It’s been a great hunting ground for me and it’s a huge thrill to win (another) Stradbroke,” McEvoy said.
“He’s a genuine little racehorse. We knew back to handicap it was going to suit him. We just got a lovely run throughout the race and the horse did the rest.
“He travelled like a dream and he picked up like he can. He’s a 110 per cent trier and I’m thrilled to be part of his career.”
THE TAB STRADBROKE BEATEN JOCKEYS - @michaelmaxworth got the lowdown after the G1 event @BrisRacingClub @racing_qld @raceqld today. pic.twitter.com/bas9Z9Yqo0
— Sky Racing (@SkyRacingAU) June 8, 2019
Tyzone ran a gallant race for second. Trainer Toby Edmonds said he had every chance and it was a real thrill for connections to run second in a Group 1 race.
“He had a beautiful cart behind the winner but just wasn’t quite good enough to pick him up in the straight,” jockey Tommy Berry said of Tyzone.
Tony Pike’s second seed Endless Drama ran up to his good run in the Kingsford Smith Cup to place third, with stablemate The Bostonian (see Verdict) out of the placings after missing the start.
BRISBANE CUP
Injury fears amid Cup celebrations
Vets will do a thorough examination of impressive Brisbane Cup winner Sixties Groove, but Damien Oliver is hoping it’s only a minor problem after the pair combined to win the Group 2 feature.
Oliver sent a shockwave through connections of the Kris Lees-trained stayer when he dismounted soon after the post.
“He just pulled up a little sore. I don’t think it’s anything too drastic, just precautionary and I hope he’s okay,” Oliver said.
“It was his last few strides before I pulled him up. He just put in a couple of short ones.
“Maybe he stood on himself, I’m hoping. We will know more when he cools down.”
Sixties Groove has produced a huge run to win the Brisbane Cup for Damien Oliver and @Leesracing @ Eagle Farm @BrisRacingClub @racing_qld @raceqld. pic.twitter.com/yw8bv5z23Z
— Sky Racing (@SkyRacingAU) June 8, 2019
Oliver produced a masterful ride to overcome Sixties Groove’s wide barrier and the pair made ground through the field, enabling them to overpower Grey Lion in the last 50m.
“I’ve been getting a few minor placings and it was nice to crack it in the Brisbane Cup,” Oliver said.
“I rode him quiet from the bad gate and took our medicine early, hoping to pick our way through because we know he’s got a good finish.
“I got some nice runs through coming to the turn and then it came down to a war with Grey Lion and he managed to come out on top. Just finally getting to Eagle Farm at a bigger track at a mile and a half (2400m) really suited him.”
Sixties Groove races in the colours of Australian Bloodstock who will set him for the Caulfield Cup. “It’s a big thrill and a bigger thrill to win it with Kris Lees. It was the race we targeted the whole way through,” Australian Bloodstock’s Jamie Lovett said.
■ The Peter and Paul Snowden-trained Signore Fox signed off on his three-year-old season with a dominant win in the Listed Daybreak Lover (1200m).
Bookies chanced their arm with Plague Stone ($2.20 to $3) and were on good terms with themselves throughout Kerrin McEvoy was unable to get to a position better than three wide without cover the whole trip.
James McDonald (pictured) seized the opportunity on Signore Fox and tracked the favourite from the 600m and he proved far too classy in the straight.
“He’s a horse that’s going to keep improving, he’s been plagued by bad barriers and wet tracks, it was good to see him find his right race today,” co-trainer Peter Snowden said.
Gold Coast-trained filly Malahide did a good job from back in the field to run second.
Originally published as James Cummings snares first Stradbroke Handicap with Trekking