Godolphin trainer James Cummings knows what he is going to get from In Secret in Saturday’s TJ Smith – and, more importantly, knows what he will get from Ben Melham in the race of the century.
The sprint classic is the highlight of the first day of The Championships on Saturday, and Cummings’s excitment is reaching fever pitch.
James Cummings gives In Secret a pat after winning the Newmarket handicap at Flemington.Credit:Getty
“How good is this race?” Cummings said. “You need someone who you can trust in the saddle and Ben is that jockey. You want someone like Ben when you’re taking on the likes of Nature Strip and Giga Kick because he will get it right.”
With James McDonald committed to Nature Strip as he looks for a fourth consecutive win in the TJ Smith, In Secret was always going to need a different jockey on Saturday.
Melham’s partner Jamie Kah was booked for the Newmarket Handicap and the TJ Smith, but when she fell on Newmarket day earlier this month, Dean Holland took over for the filly’s biggest win down the straight at Flemington.
Kah is still feeling the effects of her concussion three weeks later, so Cummings was left trying to find the right partner for In Secret at Randwick in the race which will decide the best sprinter in the land.
“Ben rode Black Caviar to her first group 1, when he got a late call-up, and has won Golden Slippers. Look at his rides for me this season,” Cummings said. “You just want someone like him who knows what is needed and will get it done. It was an easy decision for me in the end.”
Melham has only had 17 rides for Cummings this season, but he has banked five black-type wins, including group 1 triumphs on Paulele in the Winterbottom Stakes and Cascadian in last weekend’s Australian Cup.
“Have a look at those rides, they don’t get any better,” Cummings said. “He really suits our horses and is in at top echelon of riders. He has been there before and the barrier won’t worry him. He knows the pressure and knows what to do.”
Of the three favourites, In Secret was the one to draw out for the TJ as she came up with barrier 12 when the 13-horse field was announced on Tuesday.
Chris Waller would be delighted with Nature Strip drawing in the centre of the field in gate seven, which has him challenging Giga Kick – which will go back in the field from gate nine – for favouritism.
“The draw is great because he likes to find his feet before getting up to his cruising speed,” McDonald said of Nature Strip.
The market order was Giga Kick, $4.40, Nature Strip $4.50 and In Secret $4.80 after the barrier draw, and any one of them could start as the punters’ pick on Saturday.
Cummings had McDonald out to Agnes Banks on Tuesday morning to ride Sires Produce Stakes favourite Cylinder and Pericles, who he teams up with in the Australian Derby.
But it was In Secret that caught the trainer’s eye.
“She has been perfect since coming back from Melbourne and it was same this morning,” Cummings said. “She couldn’t have worked better but considering the race on Saturday, she would need to be doing that.”
Golden Slipper runner-up Cylinder had a final workout before Saturday, while Pericles capped his Derby preparation – both under McDonald.
“I think James would have left happy,” Cummings said. “Cylinder did exactly what I wanted and made the decision for us to run. You just want to be careful with these two-year-olds.”
Cylinder was into $2.10 for the Sires after as much $4.50 was available last week about the Exceed and Excel colt.
Rosehill Guineas runner-up Pericles is $6 for the Derby, with the draw adding to Cummings’ confidence about beating favourite Sharp “N Smart, which was $3.50 to $3 after the draw despite getting barrier 17.
“Gate six is a nice soft draw for Pericles and he will get the right run to be challenging in the straight,” Cummings said.
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