Latest News

By Ray Hickson

Godolphin trainer James Cummings believes there’s room in the three-year-old fillies ranks for a progressive horse and is pointing to the unbeaten Zardozi as a potential classic type this spring.

Trainer James Cummings (Pic: Bradley Photos)

Two fillies carry the Godolphin blue into the Group 2 $300,000 Darley Silver Shadow Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on Saturday and while Cummings rates the race as a testing ground for Inhibitions he forsees Zardozi as the flashing light horse for the future.

The Silver Shadow marks the start of the Princess Series which culminates in the Group 1 Flight Stakes (1600m) on September 30 and Zardozi is already on the $11 line the TAB’s all-in market on that race.

“I think the jury is out on the fillies from last season and something needs to go to the next level and hopefully it’s one of ours,’’ Cummings said on SEN.

“(Zardozi) is a slender filly, she’s not that robust, but she’s got a deep pedigree. Just wait until you see this filly get out over a bit of ground.

“Meanwhile she’s had three runs in a very solid first campaign that’s laid an excellent foundation.”

The Kingman filly won on debut at Gosford in March as a $21 chance but backed it up with two dominant Hawkesbury wins, including the Clarendon Stakes (1400m) which is a race that has often produced a smart horse.

Cummings has given Zardozi, $8.50 with TAB on Thursday, two trials and is expecting, at the least, to see her charging home.

“Despite having the potential to get a lot further she has the performances on the board already as a two-year-old that has shown she can be competitive at six furlongs,’’ he said.

“I can’t see her doing anything other than hitting the line very well first-up and just maybe that might bring her into the race and she can be highly competitive.”

Inhibitions has had the benefit of one run back, for a third behind Taormina at Rosehill a month ago, and while she’s only won the one race from seven starts she was narrowly beaten in the Group 3 Baillieu (1400m) back in March.

“I think it’s a hard race for the horse so this would be an opportunity for us to see if she’s capable of mixing it with these fillies,’’ Cummings said.

“She was quite unlucky fresh up and we’ve given her a month between runs into this second-up run. She’s entitled to run well but we’ll find out a bit about her here.”

Luck deserted Golden Mile when he resumed in the Missile Stakes two weeks ago and Cummings hopes the four-year-old can find his best in the Group 1 $1m Winx Stakes (1400m), won last year by Godolphin's retired star Anamoe.

Golden Mile was travelling behind the speed in the Missile and struck severe interference when Big Parade was injured so James McDonald pulled him out of the race and the form guide shows he was beaten 59 lengths.

Cummings said McDonald was adamant the entire was going to win or be right in the finish but importantly he’s come through the incident unscathed.

Zardozi wins at Hawkesbury in April

“The horse has taken absolutely no harm from the interference he experienced first-up,’’ Cummings said.

“He had an indifferent campaign last prep and yet he was ready to go first-up two weeks ago.

“I think we can keep the faith with the horse that from a good draw he’s bound to get a good run and I think he’s going to run another slashing race here second-up.”

James Cummings on Parisal (race 7): “I think Parisal has returned very well, she’s a stylish mare and she’s quite capable of taking the progression from her three-year-old year to open company. The weights are a little tough on her with a 110 rater being nominated and not accepting but nevertheless she’s going to run a nice race.”

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday's Randwick meeting