What will James Cummins bring to the stable at Godolphin?
FRONT and centre in horse racing news this week is the appointment of James Cummings as the new head trainer for Godolphin’s Australian stables.
The 29-year-old grandson of Bart will take the reins from July 8, with Darren Beadman to continue in his interim role until then.
That will give Cummings time to see out his ongoing engagements with the current clients of Leilani Lodge.
It may also give a few of his favoured riders the chance to audition for the blue silks of Godolphin.
Outgoing trainer John O’Shea had to make do without a fixed stable jockey during the last few months of his reign.
Top choice James McDonald is serving a suspension over betting offences, while his English replacement, James Doyle, was injured for much of his three-month stint in Australia.
Doyle was set to reunite with O’Shea for the Sydney spring carnival later this year, but the sudden changing of the guard at Godolphin has cast those plans into doubt.
It remains to be seen whether Cummings will follow the approach of a predecessor who always preferred to work with in-house jockeys that had an intimate understanding of the horses.
The load has been well shared under Beadman, with the likes of Tye Angland, Brenton Avdulla and Corey Brown all picking up multiple rides alongside Doyle.
While Cummings has dished out saddles to plenty of jockeys this season, he has shown a propensity to stick with certain riders for his top prospects.
Glyn Schofield has mounted Prized Icon in all but one of the three-year-old colt’s last 10 races, although the pairing has not tasted victory in six runs since the 2016 Victoria Derby.
They may have a chance to change that this weekend in the Group 3 Grand Prix Stakes at Eagle Farm.
Schofield, who already has 15 rides for the Cummings team under his belt this month, has also steered Tactical Advantage to five wins in seven starts.
The talented sprinter is expected to feature again on Stradbroke Handicap day next month.
Schofield is one of several jockeys in the mix should Good Standing turn out for this weekend’s Fred Best Classic.
Damien Browne was in the saddle on May 13 when the colt saluted in the Queensland Day Stakes on his second run back from a five-month spell.
Cummings and company have yet to settle on a partnership, however, with six different jockeys tried in eight rides since August 2016.
The remainder of the Brisbane racing carnival will also provide opportunities for Beadman to fill his boots before stepping back into the assistant trainer role at Godolphin.
The former Melbourne Cup-winning jockey has tasted plenty of success already in his short stint, hitting winners at every Sydney race meet since replacing O’Shea in the first week of May.
He is yet to taste Group 1 success, however, with high hope It’s Somewhat coming up short at Doomben last weekend.
Impending is Godolphin’s top prospect for the Kingsford Smith Cup on Saturday following a series of strong finishes in group races this year, including third place in the Arrowfield 3YO Sprint at Randwick last time out.
Pygmy is shaping up for the Queensland Oaks on June 3 after back-to-back wins this month, while Beadman could have multiple Group 1 chances across the JJ Atkins, Queensland Derby and Stradbroke Handicap on June 10.
Not if he put chad scofield on his horses what a shocker