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By Brad Gray
At Royal Randwick

First Stop Missile For Kementari
James Cummings is excited to put his star galloper Kementari in The Everest shop window by kicking him off in the $200,000 G2 Missile Stakes (1200m) in early August. That’ll be followed by the G1 Memsie Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield.

“Well, we don’t have a slot so I don’t waste too much time thinking about it. We just bring it up on the agenda every week and see how we are travelling but the critical thing is that the ball is in somebody else’s court there,” Cummings told Sky Sports Radio on Saturday morning.

“I might have three,” Cummings laughed, “But for now I pick out the targets for my horses the way I would if the race wasn’t there and if they come along after the Memsie for Kementari, then we can sit down and discuss it.”

“People know where were are at with it and it’s the cat and mouse game you see with everyone. There are a handful of people that have gone off early but there is something to be said for biding your time too.”

Speaking of The Everest, did now three-time Group One winner Santa Ana Lane announce himself as a genuine contender in taking out the Stradbroke Handicap?

I'm back! 👋👋
G1-winning colt #Kementari arrived back in the stables this week as he begins preparations for the 2018 #SpringCarnival. What's in store for him? 🇦🇺🏇 pic.twitter.com/r5ssfwVmCR

— Godolphin (@godolphin) May 23, 2018

God Of Thunder Still Learning
Dio D’oro won the opening race at Royal Randwick but tipping Darby Racing were just as chuffed with the effort of the third-placed God Of Thunder.

The More Than Ready colt never looked comfortable in the run but once he built up his confidence on the wet ground, he found the line sweetly.

“He was great,” said his hoop Koby Jennings, “He is an impressive horse. He just has a little bit to go in the head but he was really good today. Because I was taking the inside runs he looked at the other horses and waited for me to give him a slap on the bum before he took off.”

All honours to the winner though with Rachel King happy to sit four-wide without cover throughout.

“He has got a bit more to come too,” King said, “He hit the front and wasn’t quite sure what to do. On the line he was racing away and he’ll be even better when he gets over a bit further.”

As for the race favourite Beidi, Tye Angland, who went on to ride a treble, suggested punters forgive the run with the son of Stryker not handling the surface.

“He gave me a good ride and travelled well but when I asked him to quicken he didn’t know how to let go on a heavy track,” said Angland.

God Of Thunder with the blinkers on. He trialled like a 🚀 with them on recently! pic.twitter.com/JJoRs63HBh

— Racing NSW (@racing_nsw) June 9, 2018

Colt Makes Adkins Smile
You Make Me Smile, trained by Jason Coyle, ran fifth and comprehensively beaten by Brook Magic but there was a bit to like about his run given not a great deal went right.

Andrew Adkins comments after the race suggest he is a three-year-old worth following next time out, especially if he finds an easier race.

“He’s not a bad little horse, he’s got a nice style about him. I know he has won on a heavy track but he probably didn’t appreciate in that grade. He’s a nice horse in the making,” Adkins said.

He has two Nowra wins to his name, a maiden and a BM59. What we also know of him, other than being eligible for lesser grade races than the BM77 he contested here, is that he handles wet tracks.

It was a brave win from Brook Magic in the end though with Jean Van Overmiere of the belief that She Knows poked her nose in front.

“(Brook Magic) got headed about the 100m and found another gear to get her head back in front so it was a very tough performance,” said the hoop, who is still some chance of chasing down Rachel King for the leading apprentice title.

Provincial Winners To Ponder
Sweet Melody and Nahuel both wiped the floor with their rivals at Newcastle on Saturday. It certainly won’t be the last time either of them are winning races, and it’d be no surprise to see them win races in town.

Sweet Melody, a two-year-old with Kris Lees, was heavily backed on her debut and that support was certainly vindicated with the Smart Missile filly winning by over 5L. Impressive considering it was only a 900m race.

French import Nahuel stepped out a race later for Richard Freedman and also put his rivals to the sword. He arrived in Australia a six-start maiden and after breaking through for his first win at just his second run in Australia, he’ll go right on with it now. Keep following him through the grades.

Japanese Blueblood Set For Spring
You’d be forgiven for not noticing Japanese-bred filly Achondrite going around at Rosehill’s set of trials on Friday morning, but have another look below.

Achondrite trialling on Friday morning

She is the first of Lord Kanaloa’s progeny to be trained in Australia and is a half sister to Group One winner Aerolithe. Yusuke Ichikawa, who rode her due to his relationship with owner Mr Yoshida, couldn’t have sat any quieter on her.

“She took a long time to show us much and she has only really come to hand in the past month. We thought she trialled enormous. Ichi never moved on her,” said Chris Waller’s stable rep Charlie Duckworth.

“She is a pretty exciting horse. It’s a little bit of an unknown with the sire but Lord Kanaloa has pretty big raps on him. She has gone out for a spell now and will come back for the spring.”

Talk about blueblood! @cwallerracing has the first Lord Kanaloa youngster in training in Australia set to trial on Friday at Rosehill. Looks like Achondrite is a half-sister to G1 winner Aerolithe, second to Mozu Ascot in last Sunday's Yasuda Kinen @LongBallToNoOne #horseracing pic.twitter.com/GBe1KXoHnK

— Andrew Hawkins (@AndrewNJHawkins) June 5, 2018

Check out the results and replays for Royal Randwick on Saturday.