NEWS
Cummings takes down Australian Guineas with Rock Classic
Posted: Saturday, March 13, 2010 5:31 PM
by Mike Curry
Legendary Australian trainer Bart Cummings picked up a victory on Saturday at Flemington in a race he had never won when Rock Classic surged clear to win the $691,278 Cadbury Australian Guineas (Aus-G1).
The Australian Guineas and the $920,178 Australian Cup (Aus-G1) originally were scheduled for March 6, but the card was cut short by a thunderstorm that produced hail. The two Group 1 races were rescheduled for Saturday.
Hard-hitting veteran Zipping, an eight-year-old Danehill gelding, earned his first career Group 1 victory when he edged Sirmione by a nose in the rescheduled Australian Cup.
In the Australian Guineas, Guru Bob set the tempo and heavily favored Denman recovered from a sluggish start to stalk the pace. Denman launched his bid approaching the straight and briefly took command, but Rock Candy powered past under jockey Michael Rodd and comfortably held off runner-up Set For Fame by 1 1/4 lengths.
Rock Candy earned his first stakes victory as he covered 1,600 meters (7.95 furlongs) in 1:36.80 on turf rated as good.
''He had a few problems that we have now corrected. We had to step up from the second rank and he stepped up to take his place here today,'' Cummings told Melbourne’s The Age.
''He didn't like a tongue tie so we put the Norton bit on him to stop him swallowing his tongue, and the other day he wanted to run away from horses on his inside or outside and not take runs, so the blinkers went on and corrected that problem. Apart from that, the rest is easy.”
A Fastnet Rock gelding out of the Peintre Celebre mare Midnight Ballet, Rock Classic is campaigned by a partnership that includes Cummings, who purchased him for $256,960 at the 2008 Inglis Australian Easter yearling sale.
''I think he's a very, very good horse. He's only just learning what to do and I think he's got a good future,'' said Cummings, who has earned the nickname “Cups King” with 12 Melbourne Cup (Aus-G1) wins and seven victories in the Caulfield Cup (Aus-G1).
Set For Fame was three-quarters of a length clear of third-place finisher Linton. Denman faded to fourth.
Zipping had won four Group 2 races and placed four times in Group 1 races, including a runner-up finish in the 2008 Tatts W. S. Cox Plate (Aus-G1) and a third-place finish in the ’09 Cox Plate. Zipping finally cleared the Group 1 hurdle by gamely fighting off runner-up Sirmione to win the Australian Cup by the slimmest of margins.
Ridden by Nick Hall for trainer Robert Hickmott, Zipping overcame a wide trip to cover 2,000 meters (9.94 furlongs) in 2:03.69.
“He's had a lot of problems and takes a bit of looking after but he always tries his best and it's a great thrill to see him win that race today,” said Lloyd Williams, who owns Zipping in partnership. “It brought a tear to my eye to see him do it so tough and still manage to win.”
Cummings-trained Sirmione, who won the Australian Cup in 2008, was 1 1/4 lengths clear of stablemate Moatize.
Mike Curry is a Thoroughbred Times TODAY editor
