James Cummings and the Godolphin juggernaut are beginning to assert their dominance and in a good position to collect their fourth Group 1 of the season in the Coolmore Classic at Rosehill on Saturday.
Results of the past fortnight are a prime illustration of their recent success, with Cummings training 13 winners from 43 runners around the country – at a strike-rate of 30 per cent – while for the season so far Godolphin are operating at 25 per cent in Sydney and sitting second on the NSW premiership table.
Cummings accepted with two runners in the Coolmore Classic but suggests Alizee may not take her place in the Group 1, while he is bullish about the chances of Raiment, who he says is peaking at the right time.
“Raiment is flying,” Cummings said. “She’s building up beautifully third-up, she’s got very little weight on her back although we threw a little more on for the sake of getting the in-form Michael Walker, he’s flying at the moment.
“She’s drawn a perfect barrier and doesn’t mind her toe in the ground if [the track] does stay a little soft.
“Last preparation she was third-up in the J.B. Carr [Group 3] and exploded [winning by four-and-a-half lengths].
“She’s ready to peak in this grand final and it will be a really satisfying result … in a race like the Coolmore Classic I think Raiment is the sort of mare that has the credentials to be right there when it counts.”
Cummings says despite Alizee being beaten when a $2.70 favourite last start in the G1 Surround Stakes, there was a genuine excuse on that occasion and that she’s come through the run in fine order.
However, the unfavourable conditions she faces in the Coolmore Classic on Saturday means she may be scratched and instead potentially targeted toward the G1 George Ryder Stakes the following week against the likes of stablemate Kementari and the world’s equal-best horse Winx.
“I think she just made a little too much hard work of it getting through the Soft going [last start at Randwick],” Cummings explained.
“With the hot weather that they’ve had in Sydney, another reasonably hot day today (Friday) and a belter tomorrow (Saturday) maybe the track gets to a Good 3 and that will be in her favour.
“From the wide draw, in the handicaps and with the prospect of it being a rain-affected track we might be a little guarded about running her and our options are open.
“There looks like really solid pace in the race, having to spot them nine lengths and coming through them is going to be really hard, she could run a blinder and get beaten 2.5 lengths and run fifth and I don’t know whether that’s in her best interests.
“Just be wary of that if you’re betting before the final scratchings.”-
– racing.com
