EDWARD CUMMINGS

ANTHONY & EDWARD CUMMINGS

Depending on which era you grew up in, the name Cummings can mean different people. To most it is Bart, a true sporting icon in Australia, but to the youngest generation of race goers it is James, Bart’s grandson and current head trainer for Godolphin, who is about to complete a season filled with Gr.1 wins. Squeezed in between, is his father Anthony, who would have the best strike rate across the country over the past six months.

Edward Cummings has had success before training in partnership with his father Anthony, but earlier this season he took the brave decision to start on his own at provincial Hawkesbury, on the outskirts of Sydney. It would have been easy for the genial Edward to sit there and succeed Anthony at Leilani Lodge, but instead he has taken the decision to learn the lessons one is only taught when battling from scratch. Off to Wellington in western New South Wales, at best a five-hour drive from his stables, to saddle the two-year-old Gin Runner (Artie Schiller) was thoroughly worth the effort as he went on to narrowly win a maiden. Next stop for Gin Runner is a two-year-old race at Canterbury in Sydney, where in all likelihood he can expect to be opposed by one of his Dad’s horses and most certainly one, if not more, from the battalion of juveniles in Godolphin’s blue army.