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By Brad Gray

James Cummings made a dream start to his tenure as head trainer for Godolphin’s Australian operation with Manicure taking out the TAB Rewards Handicap (1200m).

It was the first time Cummings appeared in the racebook besides the royal blue silks and the two-year-old filly produced a determined effort to reel in Brook Magic who had pinched a break at the top of the Warwick Farm straight.

What a start for @j_a_cummings with @godolphin! Winner with his first runner! #WarwickFarm pic.twitter.com/ReSzEXK6WY

— Racing NSW (@racing_nsw) July 8, 2017

“It’s an absolute honour to train for His Highness Sheikh Mohammed and for his first runner with me in his colours to be a winner is pretty special. The first runner I had that he was in the ownership with also won, Hallowed Crown (prior to the Hobartville Stakes), so it’s a really nice way to start and the period ahead is going to be one I can really enjoy,” Cummings said.

“I can focus on being a horse trainer and enjoy the processes and continue to learn and build with a really good team around me.

“Darren (Beadman) will be very pleased with that because he has got a lot of time for her.

“She was terribly unlucky on debut. She never got a crack at them and showed a lot of her class in her second start. She’s a stylish filly and has trained on.”

Manicure chasing down Brook Magic

Corey Brown, who put the daughter of Exceed And Excel in a perfect trailing position, was full of praise for both Cummings and Manicure upon dismounting.

“He is a great trainer in his own right. He has some big shoes to fill but I’m sure he’ll fill the role,” Brown said.

“Congratulations to the team. She is a lovely little horse and really doesn’t know (what she is doing) yet. She is still very green and very floaty but she got the job done. Onwards and upwards. She is a really nice horse.

“At Canterbury I kept trotting behind the barriers because she kept floating and looking at everything, not know what she was there for. Today she didn’t need that, she got behind the barriers and was very alert although she was still looking around at the surroundings and where she was but she was more focused.

“She is very gutsy, very determined and has got plenty of upside.”

Meanwhile, spruik youngster Awesome Pluck put in an outstanding performance coming off a Taree maiden, to sit wide the trip and only go down by a narrow margin in running third. Once he fills out his enormous frame, he looks to have a very bright future.

Awesome Pluck not a lot of luck today.Jenny Graham said still learning and a bit raw. Likely to have small break now but may be back spring

— brad davidson (@braddavo) July 8, 2017

All the results and replays for Warwick Farm on Saturday