Latest News

By Ray Hickson

Trainer Anthony Cummings is wasting no time in finding out if Manwe is Golden Rose material by sending the only son of Kementari straight from his debut win into Saturday’s Group 3 $250,000 CMNL Up & Coming Stakes (1300m) at Rosehill.

Trainer Anthony Cummings (Pic: Bradley Photos)

Manwe made an impressive start with an all the way win as a $12 chance at Canterbury earlier this month and immediately Cummings signalled he could be a Golden Rose horse.

The colt isn’t nominated for next month’s $1m Group 1, and is considered a bolter in that race at $101 in early markets, but that won’t be an issue if he proves he’s up to it – so that’s the task at hand.

“He’s a pretty nice horse and he was pretty well prepared for his first run,’’ Cummings said.

“He’s done very well since then and he’s drawn a nice gate. This puts him into a nice routine into what might be a run to the Golden Rose depending on what he shows.

“These are once in a lifetime races and you don’t walk past them lightly. If the horse is there and he looks like he’s up to it then why not.”

Manawanui (2011) is the last Up And Coming winner to take out the Golden Rose, ironically that year he beat the Cummings-trained Smart Missile in the Group 1.

The colt, who cost $200,000 at Magic Millions, didn’t make it to the trials until May and didn’t trial again for another two months before his winning debut.

He was one of only two live foals left by Kementari in his short-lived stud career but connections have had to be patient.

“He was a nice yearling but he grew and developed quickly,’’ he said.

“He’s taken a while to get here, with shinsoreness and the aches and pains they get, but every time we galloped him he looked pretty good.”

Cummings said barrier two is huge for Manwe as it affords Jason Collett options. He knows he has tactical speed to take advantage and says he can draw a line between his colt and early favourite Caballus.

His filly Vos Savant was beaten four lengths by Caballus and Estriella at Randwick a month ago and he said that gives him confidence Manwe can be competitive.

“I think the distance will be comfortable for him and everything he does says it’s a sensible race for him to go to,’’ he said.

“In a race like that you need things to go your way and that gives him an opportunity to show off.”

If Manwe stages another upset, he was $13 into $9 with TAB on Wednesday, Cummings said there are a few paths he could tread toward the Rose.

Tristate had the misfortune of bumping into a potential Group 1 performer in Olentia when runner-up at Rosehill two weeks ago so Cummings hopes he can go one better in the Cabra-Vale Diggers Handicap (1100m).

He expects the five-year-old will roll forward again and give his usual game account.

“A decent horse beat him last time and he beat the others comfortably enough,’’ he said.

Manwe wins at Canterbury on August 16

“The 1100m is no issue for him, he’s going to go there and race at least to what he’s done so far and that should be enough to be in the finish.”

Cummings is experimenting with a distance increase for Kahawaty in the Campbelltown Catholic Club Handicap (1500m) but concedes the mare needs to lift her game.

She was only beaten a length by Petulant at Rosehill three weeks ago but wasn’t as dynamic when midfield behind Tashi over 1250m at Canterbury last week.

“She’s been working better than she’s been racing so far,’’ he said.

“The other day they beat her for speed and talking to Kerrin (McEvoy) after she might be a bit better off over a bit more ground. We’ll go and have a look and see what she’s like at that trip.”

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