The Cummings name is laced through Australian racing’s record books, but the second day of The Championships at Randwick offers the chance for a unique entry and some new family silver for Easter Sunday lunch table.
If things go to plan, as they often do for the racing dynasty, Anthony Cummings and his sons James and Edward could each win a major race on the same program.
Brothers James and Edward Cummings will both look for group 1 wins on the second day of The Championships.Credit: Darrian Traynor
James Cummings will be at the centre of the action with his Godolphin team at Randwick, highlighted by Anamoe in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes, but he might not be the first member of the family to win a group 1 on Saturday; brother Edward saddles up Arts in the first of the big four, the Australian Oaks.
Arts will only be having her fourth start in the Oaks but backs up from a devastating win in the Adrian Knox Stakes last Saturday, and it’s a path Edward has put a bit of thought into with the filly.
Anthony CummingsCredit: g
“I knew she was going to be lightly raced going into the Oaks and I looked back to see what other fillies with the same sort of profile did,” Edward Cummings said. He found his answer in Gust Of Wind, which was the last horse to beat Winx in the 2015 Oaks.
“Gust Of Wind went through the Adrian Knox, and five out of six lightly raced winners went that way,” Edward said.
“I decided to give her the chance there to show that she was up to it, and she handled the wet and had a sprint at the end of the Knox.
“She gets a chance at a group 1 early in her career.”
Brothers have already won group 1 races on the same day this autumn carnival. The Anthony Freedman-trained Artorius won the Canterbury Stakes before Michael Freedman took out the Randwick Guineas with Communist, but the Cummings clan could take it a step further.
Anthony Cummings, the sire of the two young colts, will only have one runner on the card and that comes in the group 2 Arrowfield Stud Stakes with Kote.
“He is flying and the track is going to be to his liking,” Anthony Cummings said. “Then I will cheer for Edward and James to win their races. We are very proud of them and to see them succeed, and I think they have great chances to win group 1s.”
Edward added: “We are all having Sunday lunch together, so it would be good to have a bit of silverware on the table.”
Even Godolphin’s head man, James, admits a bit of bragging rights are up for grabs, but without an Oaks runner he will be cheering for Arts.
“What do they say? It’s self, family then country and not necessarily in that order,” James said. “I think Edward’s filly was great in the Adrian Knox, and it will give me a lot joy if he can win the Oaks.
“Dad and I have won group 1s on the same program twice, but for all of us to win a big race at this meeting would be an incredible achievement.”
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