Godolphin gang tackle Sires’ Produce at Flemington
Godolphin trainer James Cummings knows what it takes to win the VRC Sires’ Produce Stakes and will have three representatives in the Group 2 race over 1400m at Flemington.
Cummings won with La Tene in 2019 and has Alegron, Micro and Paulele lining-up on Saturday, with each bringing a different quality to the table.
Paulele is the highest-rated of the trio. He was successful at his first two starts before Christmas and resumed in the Silver Slipper at Rosehill a fortnight ago, finishing sixth to Home Affairs.
Damien Oliver, who last won the race on Incumbent in 2007, takes the ride on TAB’s $4.40 second favourite behind the Peter Moody-trained Lightsaber ($4.20).
“The return to Melbourne and the step up to 1400 metres could be advantageous,” Cummings said.
“The helter-skelter conditions of the Silver Slipper didn’t suit his style.”
Melbourne’s leading jockey Jamie Kah rides Micro, the most experienced of the 14 runners in Saturday’s line-up
A last start second at The Valley on February 26, Micro is a $26 chance.
“His second at The Valley showed he is going in the right direction,” Cummings said.
“The distance should suit and an inside draw looks beneficial.”
Cummings and the Godolphin team elected to send Alegron straight to 1400m after he was run off his feet on debut by Profiteer at Flemington in December.
Damian Lane rides the $34 chance.
“Being by Teofilo, the step-up to 1400 metres should bring about improvement on his debut effort,” Cummings said.
The Sires’ has been a maligned race over the years, losing its Group 1 status in 2005.
But the past two winners, La Tene and Lunar Fox have gone on in their three-year-old season to claim further Group status with Lunar Fox winning the Group 1 Australian Guineas last week.