Another Oaks, another Cummings – this time it was Anthony Cummings who saddled the winner She’s Extreme, to claim a race his father Bart won a record nine times, and his son James won last year.
Despite being a hot favourite, punters were either firmly with or against She’s Extreme, who certainly had a class edge on her rivals but a query on her staying ability over 2500 metres.
In the end, her sprint proved the difference as she peeled off leader Pavitra’s heels back to the fence and ran away with a comfortable one-length win under jockey Tommy Berry.
The Oaks win was She’s Extreme’s second at group 1 level, having won the Champagne Stakes at two. Her record also includes placings in the Sires Produce, Flight Stakes and Spring Champion Stakes.
“It was the icing on the cake of what’s been a very good preparation for her,” Cummings said.
Tommy Berry passes the finishing post aboard She’s Extreme.Credit:Getty Images
“I’m just rapt for the horse as much as anything, to see her get the accolades.
“He [jockey Tommy Berry] was in the right spot every step of the way. It was a toss up about what might happen at the top of the straight. He thought they would roll off [the fence], he was happy the inside was the right place to be and that turned out to be accurate and the result came.”
Berry said it was a huge thrill to win a time-honoured feature of Melbourne’s Cup week.
“I was only saying to my wife during the week, I’ve ridden a lot of colts and geldings, I’ve ridden a lot of good sprinting fillies, but I’ve always admired Hugh Bowman and him winning Oaks on good fillies,” Berry said.
“I wasn’t a very patient rider when I was younger, but over the years I’ve become a lot more patient rider and I think that shows in my staying races over the last five or six years. It’s been an unbelievable moment.”
Pavritra held on for second under Jamie Kah, while Blaike McDougall steered Queen Air into third.
James McDonald couldn’t manage any better than fourth on Wakeful Stakes winner Zennzella but, before the Oaks, had already claimed two winners at Thursday’s meeting and late claimed a third to take his tally to seven for the week.
He will get his chance on Saturday to at least tie his own record of 10 wins during Cup week with rides in all nine races on Champions Day, including Nature Strip in the Champions Sprint and Anamoe in the Champions Stakes.
He will then be sidelined for at least eight meetings after he pleaded guilty to careless riding in the Inglis Bracelet on winner Roots.
His suspension starts midnight on Saturday, but with his partner, former jockey Katelyn Mallyon, due to give birth to their first child on November 8, it will effectively be a forced period of parental leave.
Earlier, former Hong Kong sprinter Joyful Fortune won the listed Century Stakes having last run 10th in The Everest.
“1200 back to 1000, he didn’t have to do a lot of work,” his trainer Mark Newnham said.
“He’s only had the one gallop in three weeks, and he’s a good-winded horse and with his previous history of knee injuries, we have to take him fairly steadily anyway.”
Newnham said he has high hopes for the progressive sprinter.
“He’s a very talented horse, obviously he’s had a fair time off with injury, but we’ve managed him well, space his runs out a little bit and just find the right races,” he said.
“He looks like a straight track specialist, so you ever know, he might find himself back here in a Lightning or something. All his wins have been down the straight so no need to stray too far.
“Being a straight-track specialist you look at any races down the Flemington straight, and it certainly suits him.”
