Anthony Cummings’ application to stay at Leilani Lodge stables rejected
Anthony Cummings’ application for a stay of proceedings to allow him to continue training has been rejected and he will need to vacate his famous Leilani Lodge stables at Royal Randwick within days.
NSW
Don't miss out on the headlines from NSW. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Exclusive
Anthony Cummings’ application for a stay of proceedings to allow him to continue training has been rejected and he will need to vacate his famous Leilani Lodge stables at Royal Randwick within days.
Cummings was advised on Friday night by Racing Appeals Tribunal chairman Justice Geoff Bellew SC that the trainer’s application had been refused.
Bellew is expected to provide the reasons for his decision early on Monday.
Cummings has been fighting to save his career after striking financial difficulties when his business, Rosscarbery Holdings Pty Ltd, went into liquidation some months ago.
It is understood the multiple Group 1-winning trainer has some significant debt and taxation problems but was confident of working through these issues.
But Cummings was advised earlier this week that Racing NSW had revoked his trainer’s licence and issued a seven-day notice to vacate Leilani Lodge.
The trainer lodged an appeal to the Racing Appeals Tribunal and was hoping to continue to operate his training business in the interim. A date for the appeal is still to be determined.
“I’m mystified about the whole thing. I’ve done nothing wrong, haven’t broken any rules and I just don’t get it,’’ Cummings said.
His licence to train was cancelled on February 10 and the seven-day notice means he would have to leave Leilani Lodge on Monday.
Cummings has about 50 horses in training and it is expected he will be given an extension of some days as it is logistically a difficult exercise to relocate so many horses.
But the rejection of the stay of proceedings application effectively means Cummings can no longer race any of the horses under his care.
Cummings was forced to scratch his two stable runners entered for Saturday races – Manwe in the Midway Handicap at Royal Randwick and Doradus in a Benchmark 68 Handicap at Newcastle.
Until the Racing Appeals Tribunal convenes to hear the Cummings appeal, it seems the only way Leilani Lodge can stay in the family name is if Anthony’s son, Edward, succeeds in obtaining a metropolitan trainer’s licence.
“The intention is to come through this but if it’s not possible for Anthony to train the horses in his name here, I believe that the large majority of the owners would be happy for me to take over as trainer,’’ Edward Cummings said on Friday.
“Our owners have been incredibly supportive of what we’re trying to accomplish, and I think everyone sees the value in keeping it ‘Cummings’ at Randwick and keeping it ‘Cummings’ at Leilani Lodge, more specifically.”
News Corp understands the Australian Turf Club board met on Friday evening and determined to assist Edward Cummings to be given stables if he does secure the necessary licensing approval from Racing NSW.
But whether Edward Cummings is then given the keys to Leilani Lodge is not a fait accompli with other trainers also keen to occupy the famous Randwick racing stables situated on High Street.
Originally published as Anthony Cummings’ application to stay at Leilani Lodge stables rejected
Join the conversation
Expect more delays: Trains dispute spills over to Sunday
Public transport users have been told to brace for another day of train delays and cancellations on Sunday, after the industrial umpire postponed its decision on the rail dispute.
Read more
September 11 ‘thank you’ artwork forced award backflip
A Sydney artist was withdrawn as Australia’s selection for a global exhibition after the discovery of his work titled “Thank You Very Much”, featuring confronting images of the September 11 terror attack.
Read more