Ed Cummings confident Duais, Parr right combination for Tancred Stakes
There is only one way and that is up for Duais ahead of the $1.5 million Tancred Stakes (Group 1 over 2400m) at Rosehill on Saturday.
That is the opinion of trainer Edward Cummings after the four-year-old’s brilliant victory in the Australian Cup (2000m) at Flemington on March 12.
The fast-finishing mare was well back at the 300m mark before Josh Parr timed a classy sprint home, winning comfortably by two lengths, with Kerry Parker’s Think It Over in second place.
Legendary racing calling Bruce McAvaney called the finish “stunning” with Cummings keeping alive the tradition of his family dominating the event.
Edward’s late great grandfather Bart Cummings won 13 Australian Cups.
It is no wonder, then, that Duais is the $3 favourite with horse racing betting sites heading into Saturday, where the 36-year-old Cummings will be chasing his third Group 1 triumph.
Indeed, the up-and-coming trainer is also confident his stayer can get the job done.
“Her chances are reasonably good,” he told horsebetting.com.au.
“I thought she ran really well (in the Australian Cup) and I think she’ll be suited going up in distance now.
“It’s hard to split a winning combo – Josh is a very good rider.
“We’re one of the top three in the market, so the other two (Think It Over, paying $3.70 for Kerry Parker, and Spanish Mission at $4.80 for Peter Moody) will be hard to beat.”
Cummings has big plans for Duais after this Saturday.
“A couple of weeks later she could run in either a Sydney Cup or a Queen Elizabeth, or we could put her in the paddock and wait for the spring,” he said.
“She seems like a happy horse.”