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By Ray Hickson

The vibe from trainer James Cummings is that’s it’ll be require a very good performance from one of his rivals to deny star colt Broadsiding a fourth Group 1 win at Randwick on Saturday.

Trainer James Cummings (Pic: Bradley Photos)

On the back of his dominant first-up win, the Godolphin head trainer is brimming with confidence that his flag bearer can repeat the dose in the Group 1 $1 million The Agency Randwick Guineas (1600m).

Cummings said he couldn’t have scripted the colt’s first-up win any better nor what’s happened at home in the two weeks since.

“He pulled up great, he handled that first-up run very well,’’ Cummings said.

“Our assessment is that he’s actually handled that better than he handled the win in the Golden Rose first-up last preparation and I’ve been very pleased with him heading into the Guineas.

“With the confidence of that win first-up against the three-year-olds, and remaining at the three-year-olds again here, he looks beautifully placed. Everything feels like it’s going nicely to plan.”

Broadsiding, $1.60 with TAB on Thursday, hasn’t raced at Randwick since last autumn where he beat El Castello in the Fernhill and Linebacker in the Champagne Stakes in the space of a week over a mile on wet tracks.

So Cummings, who won the Guineas with Kementari in 2018 and Hallowed Crown in partnership with Bart Cummings in 2015, would welcome a rain affected surface for Broadsiding and he expects the colt to be in a similarly stalking position as he was first-up when winning the Hobartville Stakes over 1400m.

“He’ll relish soft going, that will be of no concern to Broadsiding. He’s got as good a wet track record as anything in that Randwick Guineas,’’ he said.

“I did a bit of work with him this week and he came back to us after the gallop just kicking up his heels feeling good.

“He’s just humming that horse, it wouldn’t shock me if we able to begin from the machine just as fresh a horse as what we saw first-up in the Hobartville.

“He demonstrated he was capable to take up an enviable position in the run and still let rip at the top of the straight.

“I think James McDonald is blessed with some options from the draw and he’s going to be on a horse that’s still fresh and in the early part of his campaign.”

Broadsiding has 55kg in the Group 1 Doncaster Mile and is nominated for a host of races through the autumn carnival so his next move will be an interesting one.

After upsetting the Golden Slipper favourite in last month’s Silver Slipper, Cummings is looking to Beiwacht to confirm himself as a leading contender for the two-year-old classic.

He’ll have a rematch with Wodeton in the Group 2 $300,000 Darley Todman Stakes (1200m) where the barrier draw has swung his rival’s way this time around.

“He has not taken one backward step from that win in the Silver Slipper,’’ Cummings said.

“He’s capable of absorbing runs and getting better from what he’s shown us in his short career so far.

“Haven’t we found a good race, that is a proper horse race the Todman. The Golden Slipper favourite is destined to come out of this Todman Stakes so there’s nowhere to hide there.”

Beiwacht, on the third line of Slipper betting with TAB at $13, sat outside the leader and forged clear in winning three weeks ago and Cummings said he won’t be afraid to use the colt’s pace to offset his outside barrier.

“He can be there and Adam Hyeronimus just needs to get the horse to hold himself together,’’ he said.

“There’s no denying Beiwacht is now in the frame and as strong as he looked in the Silver Slipper you can expect him to be ready to run just as good a race here.”

Stablemate Aleppo Pine may be bound for the Black Opal at Canberra on Sunday with Cummings looking for a slightly easier assignment to get that colt back on track following his weakening effort in the Blue Diamond Prelude.

Broadsiding wins the Hobartville Stakes

“The horse has got more to offer than what he showed first-up at Caulfield, there are reasons to image he can turn that around,’’ Cummings said.

“It’s going to be a softer option than the Todman but it’s going to be no mean feat to win a Black Opal.”

James Cummings on Tempted (Race 3): “I think she’s going very well. She settled down second last in the half mile in the Blue Diamond and didn’t get the clearest of passages. The way she pulled up from the run gives me a lot of optimism about what she’s got left to offer. She’s going to have a bit to do from the draw, there’s no doubt about that, but she has a great attitude, she’s got finishing speed, and she can put herself right in this race.”

On Commemorative (Race 10): “She was quite luckless in the finish there behind Inhibitions. She is well placed here yet again, she didn’t get James McDonald’s weight unfortunately but Jason Collett does take over and he’s riding beautifully. It can work in your favour with a wide draw late in the day at Randwick particularly with a soft track expected. Even though she got beaten we’ve all taken a lot of positives out of that run and there’s every reason to think she can improve on of that run and be realistically a winning chance.”

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday’s meeting at Randwick