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By Ray Hickson

Trainer Edward Cummings is expecting Group 3 winner Arts to show him she could be a potential lightweight chance in some of the spring staying features with a return to form at Rosehill on Saturday.

Trainer Edward Cummings (Pic: Steve Hart)

It’s been almost 18 months since Arts burst onto the scene winning the Adrian Knox Stakes at her third start, which saw her start $4.80 in the Group 1 Australian Oaks where she ran fifth, but she’s only recorded one minor placing in her next six starts.

That was third-up last spring when she was an unlucky third at Warwick Farm.

While she still has to prove herself again, a drop in grade into the Midway Handicap (1800m) and the booking of James McDonald to ride says Cummings is looking for a confidence boost to head into the spring with.

“The pressure’s on from that point of view but ultimately she’s the one that’s got to turn out and run the race,’’ Cummings said.

“It’s a winnable race, it’s a good trip, it’s the right time in her program, she’s had the grounding so there won’t be many excuses.

“The race is there for her at the distance range third-up, that’s when she typically fires so we’ve tried to model her preparation on that.

“She was an Adrian Knox winner at her third start up to 2000m. I’m hopeful we can get her to fire and obviously having James in the saddle makes a huge difference.”

Arts, $5.50 with TAB on Thursday, beat three home in her second run back from a nine month break but Cummings said there was no much more merit in the run than it reads.

She was beaten five lengths by West Of Africa in a 1600m Benchmark 78 three weeks ago but was only able to wind up from the 100m mark.

“On the worst day possible to draw barrier one that’s where we lobbed and never got out,’’ he said.

“Whilst our intention was to get out into the better ground on the day it just didn’t happen for us until the race was over. She cut across heels and made good ground late and through the line.

“She’s done a really good job since then, she’s ticking every box. She’s thrived since that run, her work has been outstanding.

“I think her best opportunity to enhance her CV is at 2000m and further. I think her best run was in the Oaks and I think given the opportunity to get back there she has an opportunity as a lightweight prospect in some stakes races over that ground in the spring.

“Hopefully she can achieve some of what myself and Newhaven Park always thought she was capable of.”

Meanwhile, Cummings said Group 1 placed gelding Strait Acer returned to the stable on Tuesday and will be aimed at the latter part of the spring.

The five-year-old emerged last year with a string of wins in Benchmark company before running second in the Silver Eagle, fourth in the Golden Eagle and third in the Rupert Clarke.

Arts' last start at Randwick on August 10

He hasn’t raced since finishing fourth in the Listed Civic Stakes run at the end of June on heavy ground and it’s likely he’ll resume around Everest Day.

“There’s no doubt he was a lot better in the spring last year than he was in the autumn and I’m putting that down largely to tracks, he likes to feel the ground under him as opposed to getting his toe in,’’ Cummings said.

“He’s still got all the upside we felt he had after the Rupert Clarke last year.

“So that’s on the agenda and he’ll be close to racing in mid-October. He looks very good for having had that spell and I think it's all before him.”

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