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By Ray Hickson

There’s a real sense of anticipation from trainer James Cummings about what might lie ahead for three-time Group 1 winning colt Broadsiding in the upcoming autumn carnival.

Trainer James Cummings (Pic: Bradley Photos)

And such is the significance of the three-year-old to the Godolphin operation, Cummings will be trackside at Rosehill on Saturday to watch the colt’s return in the Group 2 $400,000 Hobartville Stakes (1400m).

That’s despite having Group 1 runners interstate.

Cummings said he’d like to see Broadsiding return in similar fashion to the spring when he was able to win the Golden Rose first-up from a spell over the same track and distance.

“I’m really confident that he’s come back well and yet there’s nothing like race day for that to be the ultimate test,’’ Cummings said.

“As a champion two-year-old to come back and win a Golden Rose first-up, it takes a pretty good animal to do something like that.

“His next assignment is to prove he can still be at that level in the autumn as a three-year-old.

“He’s a very important horse to stay on top of and I’d love to see the way he starts his preparation in person.”

Broadsiding, $2.10 with TAB on Thursday, has an immediate aim of the Group 1 Randwick Guineas (1600m) on March 8.

A win in that race would likely encourage Cummings to get aggressive with his placement to cement his position as an attractive stallion proposition for Godolphin.

“We are anticipating that he’s come back in top order, and he’s got even more opportunity to assert his reputation and build on it as a three-time Group 1-winning colt,’’ he said.

“I’ve got the first few steps on the path worked out, but we’ll get through the Randwick Guineas at least before we lock in our next move.

“We are dealing with a versatile horse. I could keep him to his own age or I could also keep him to 1500m-1600m, races like the George Ryder, the Doncaster, and the All Aged.

“I think we’ve got options with a versatile colt and, with his stud value in mind whilst it’s important to win Group 1s, it’s also advantageous to demonstrate the pace that he’s got, that impressive closing speed.”

It’s fair to say the spring didn’t pan out as Cummings hoped following his Golden Rose win.

He ran fourth in the Caulfield Guineas as an odds-on favourite and third in the Cox Plate, beaten 10 lengths by Via Sistina, but failed in the Cantala Stakes at the end of the carnival.

He showed Cummings his readiness for a return with a barrier trial win at Warwick Farm last week.

“The Hobartville is a beautiful kick-off point for him over seven furlongs at Rosehill,” he said.

“He’ll be comfortable in this race and it should provide him with the perfect launching pad in his campaign.

“I like the way he’s gone about his preliminaries, he’s forward and feeling good.

“He’s spot-on for this run and, while there’s improvement in him, I think everyone will be impressed when they see him parade on the weekend.

“He means business and he’ll be there to run very well. I’ve got a good feeling about how he’s going.”

Zac Lloyd has the ride on Broadsiding on Saturday.

Godolphin won the Group 2 $300,000 TAB Silver Slipper Stakes (1100m) two years ago with Cylinder and Cummings will be represented by Beiwacht in the 2025 edition.

The colt will be overshadowed by the presence of Golden Slipper favourite Wodeton and others high in the betting for that race but Cummings said he’s an improving horse who could surprise a few.

Beiwacht was runner-up in the Lonhro Plate at his second race start, beaten half a length by Bellazaine.

Broadsiding wins a Warwick Farm trial on February 11

“He bumped into a horse who just went a bit better than him, but he got back on the right path and turned a negative into a positive,” Cummings said.

“If he can keep improving, I can see him mixing it with these horses.

“But there’s no doubt he’s coming up against some quality two-year-olds here and he’s going to really need to lift to win this race.

“To see him competitive against these horses should set him up well for assignments down the track.”

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