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By Ray Hickson

A powerful second-up record and a move away from Group 1 company have trainer James Cummings confident he’s put Pericles where he can win at Rosehill on Saturday.

Trainer James Cummings (Pic: Bradley Photos)

The five-year-old was scratched from last week’s Canterbury Stakes and Cummings feels it was the right move to tackle the Group 2 $300,000 Hyland Race Colours Ajax Stakes (1500m) instead.

Pericles resumed in the Group 1 Futurity Stakes and was beaten less than three lengths by Mr Brightside and Tom Kitten who then ran one-two again in the All Star Mile.

“I think he can bounce back, but one thing I can draw your attention to is that he has an Olympic second-up record,” Cummings said.

“He loves the track and he’s just humming, giving us every indication he’s going to improve second-up.”

That first-up record says Pericles has won three of his five attempts with two second placings, one of them behind Mr Brightside at Group 1 level, and was a dominant winner second-up in the spring carting 59kg over 1500m at Moonee Valley.

He’ll have the same impost at Rosehill as he returns to the scene of his Five Diamonds win late last year.

“I know he’s got his fair share of weight allotted, and he’s earned every bit of it, but if James McDonald can get him into a position he’ll run a race,” he said

“He is one to look out for, this is his go – a little step off the top level.”

Pericles, $5.50 with TAB on Friday, has 55kg in next month’s Star Doncaster Mile and as he sits equal 19th in the order of entry he’s pretty much assured of a start.

Cummings says he’s asking a bit of Pisanello first-up in the Group 3 250,000 Ikon Services Maurice McCarten Stakes (1100m) considering his 85 rating but three wins from as many starts last prep swayed him.

The gelding would appreciate what’s likely to be a generously run race and with 53kg he’ll have his chance to sweep home as he tends to like to do.

“I’m kicking myself running this horse so far out of the handicap, but I would say he’s raced his way through the grades and therefore earned his stripes against the better horses,” he said.

“This race could set up beautifully for Pisanello, with the pace of the race he could sit back and he could really race home strongly.

“He gets a substantial amount of weight off a horse like Coal Crusher, and I like the way he’s prepped up for this first-up tilt.

“Maybe we’ll pay the price, but that will launch him into the conversation for harder races.”

The Godolphin trainer is happy to shrug off Comedy’s second-up failure in the Skyline in a race that wasn’t run to suit and if he wins the Group 3 $250,000 TAB Pago Pago Stakes (1200m) he’ll have a decision to make.

The colt, sixth behind Rivellino in the Skyline two weeks ago, strikes Cummings as more a Sires’ and Champagne type but he is 24th in the Golden Slipper order of entry.

“He wasn’t suited by the slow pace last start in the Skyline,’’ he said.

“If we are prepared to forgive him that run, where he raced home beautifully from back in the field, this is a good level for Comedy to prove he’s still in the mix.

“Realistically, Comedy is our Champagne Stakes horse and he’s a colt who we are looking forward to seeing up over further.

“He’s got a bit of class about him and, whilst he gets back a bit in his races, he can really rally and finish off well.”

Pericles wins the Five Diamonds in November

James Cummings on Barbarossa (race 3 & Gosford race 2): “He was full of running in the ‘coffin’ at Canterbury behind State Visit and he had something to offer. He’s been improving all the time, with three runs he’s running better and better. With his big pedigree and frame, it’s of no surprise to us. He just continues to put in blistering gallops. He could be the big improver and perhaps I don’t want to see that wasted in a maiden.”

On Custom (race 4 & Gosford race 2): “She’s been honest in two Canterbury maidens. She finished out of a place first-up when she was hopelessly slow out of the machines. She was a lot better last time, a good effort to knuckle down, and that could be enough to give her an opportunity against the fillies. The maiden option is probably the more suitable. They are both training very well those two-year-olds, so we’ll see what it looks like (Saturday) morning.”

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