Matt Cumani lands maiden training victory
It may have been a restricted race at a country Victorian racetrack, but Our Covenant’s win means a lot to Matt Cumani.
The son English trainer Luca, Cumani led in his first winner when Our Covenant scored at Bendigo on Friday.
“What a great place to have it. Bendigo is beautiful and on a beautiful sunny day,” Cumani told racing.com.
It was Cumani’s eighth starter since taking out a trainers’ licence and setting up stables at Ballarat last year.
Our Covenant wore the colours of OTI Racing.
It was those colours that Bauer carried into a photo-finish second in the 2008 Melbourne Cup, one of two runner-up placings his father has trained in Australia’s biggest race.
“OTI have been huge supporters and I really couldn’t have done it without them,” Cumani said.
“It’s fantastic to have my first winner for them.”
Ridden by Darren Gauci, Our Covenant ($7) scored by a length from Startierra ($9) with the $2.80 favourite Ashlee Marie in third place.
Gauci said it was a great training performance by Cumani to get Our Covenant to settle after his first-up wayward fourth at Ballarat last month.
“He was a handful at Ballarat and a handful for me as well,” Gauci said.
“He changed his gear a bit and he ran up to his form.”