“I can’t allow myself to be stressed out because of my surname,” said Edward Cummings. “I just go about my job looking after the twenty horses in my care. I had a long apprenticeship, I enjoy training racehorses and I just want to get on with it now.”
These were the words of the Hawkesbury trainer the morning after his all important maiden stakes win with Duais in the Gr 3 Adrian Knox Stakes at Randwick on Saturday. He’d gone tantalisingly close to achieving that goal a week earlier, when Prompt Prodigy was a closing second to Yaletown in the Gr 2 Tulloch Stakes at Rosehill. “At last I feel the monkey is off my back,” said Edward. “You can win twenty races at the midweeks or on the provincial circuit, but you need that black type win to make any sort of a statement.”
Edward was all smiles when he spoke to Sky after the Adrian Knox - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
Fate brought Duais into Edward’s life when he met the filly’s breeder and part owner Matt Irwin on a Sydney golf course two years ago. Matt and his partners the Harris Family Syndicate were racing two time stakes winner Baccarat Baby in Queensland at the time. Trained by David Van Dyke the Casino Prince mare currently has a record of eight wins and $510,000 in earnings. A year younger Nicconi half sister called Amiche recently won her fourth race from just nine starts, including two at Doomben.
“Matt told me there was a two year old Shamus Award half sister to Baccarat Baby and Amiche which they were contemplating sending to Sydney,” recalled Edward. “I was thrilled when he asked me to train her from my Hawkesbury base. Shamus Award was emerging as a very serious sire, while her dam Meerlust had already produced a dual stakes winner. Meerlust, a daughter of Johannesburg was originally purchased at a Scone sale in 2012 by Sue Grills and was destined to race only five times. Sue won a two year old race with her at Grafton.”
Edward gave Duais three soft trials before producing her for a first up second in a Newcastle Maiden with Glyn Schofield in the saddle. Three weeks later she missed a place on a Heavy 8 Kensington track and was turned out immediately.
She had one soft trial before resuming on Dec 1st last year to win a Newcastle Maiden pretty comfortably. Glyn Schofield again had the ride and her starting quote of $2.40 indicated somebody knew she was going pretty well. Then came a close second in a Class 5 at Kembla before she again fell foul of a Heavy 9 track at Wyong, finishing out of a place in the Summer Series Final.
Edward stepped her up to 1800 metres in a Hawkesbury BM 64 in February. Despite overracing a little she finished second to the year older Duty, and both he and Christian Reith were happy with the run. The trainer then opted for a freshen up.
Seven weeks later Hugh Bowman finished third on Duais in a Randwick barrier trial and was very keen to ride her in a 1600m Fillies and Mares BM 72 at Warwick Farm. After being held up for a few strides on the hometurn, Duais was giving the leader Darling Diamond five lengths start on straightening. She let down impressively to swamp the leader and was going away on the line.
Edward admits to a few butterflies when the well named filly took her place in the Gr 3 Adrian Knox Stakes field on Saturday. The race honoured the name of the eminent barrister and NSW Chief Justice who had two separate stints as AJC Chairman in the early twentieth century. The owners of Duais deserve commendation for the thoughtful naming of their Shamus Award filly. Duais is an ancient Gaelic word meaning “award” or “trophy” and is pronounced “Dew-ess’. Race caller Darren Flindell has been on top of it, since the filly first appeared at the races.
Hugh Bowman elected to hustle the filly out of the gates on Saturday rather than squander his inside draw and was concerned when she got very keen in the early stages. “Hugh was relieved when she came back to him around the first turn,” said Edward. “He said he won’t be doing that over the longer trip in the Oaks next week.”
Duais had a soft run midfield on the fence to the 600m, but got strung up for a few strides when another runner started to drop off quickly. She got to the outside on top of the rise and showed exceptional acceleration to dash past Chequerboard and Darling Diamond. Bargain stormed home from the tail of the field to get to within a half length of Duais and was responsible for a great Oaks trial in finishing second.
Hugh Bowman and Duais were in full flight at the finish of the Adrian Knox Stakes - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
Edward Cummings got his early racing education in a part time role as Racing Manager to his father, multiple Group 1 winning trainer Anthony Cummings. At the same time he was able to gain a Media and Communications Degree with the University of NSW. With that precious qualification safely tucked away, young Cummings embarked on a two season study of yearling preparation with Coolmore Stud’s Hunter Valley arm. “Great learning curve with top professional people,” he said.
Through contacts at Coolmore, Edward was able to organise a valuable stint with Aidan O’Brien at Ireland’s famous Ballydoyle operation. He worked for 6 months alongside the legendary trainer trying not to be too inquisitive. “It was a case of look and listen and soak it all up,” said Edward. “A terrific experience.”
On returning to Australia Edward settled into a foreman’s role with Anthony which would last eight years or more. With training teams becoming more prevalent, the decision was made for father and son to formulate a partnership. During this period Edward got to look after a very talented horse called Sky Boy who raced in the ownership of Think Big Stud, the Estate of the late Dato Tan Chin Nam, and Westcode Pty Ltd.
Edward and his father Anthony split amicably when he decided to train in his own right - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
“Sky Boy was the horse to get me thinking about a solo training career,” said Edward. “As Dad’s training partner I got to spend a lot of time with the horse and felt I’d contributed largely to his training. Sky Boy won seven races, six of them on city tracks. In the spring of 2018 he put together five straight wins culminating in the Villiers Stakes with Christian Reith on board.”
Many people believed Anthony Cumming’s reaction would have been one of disappointment when Edward first announced his intention to train in his own right. “On the contrary,” said the fifth generation trainer. “It was he who suggested it was time for me to move on. Looking back I was probably having too much to say about the horses.
If you look at history, the Cummings clan tend to seek individualism. It was no different to my father wanting to move out of the shadow of Bart Cummings all those years ago.”
With stable accommodation very difficult to source on the Sydney metropolitan tracks, Edward elected to take his first tentative steps at Hawkesbury. “I kicked off with just three horses, and I’d be less than truthful if I didn’t admit to some stage fright,” said the thirty five year old. “An unsound horse called Gin Runner helped to get me over the initial uncertainties. He was the first horse to enter my stables, and became my first winner when he scored in a maiden 2YO at Wellington almost two years ago. Ashley Morgan rode him at Wellington and again when he won a Cl 2 at Scone some months later. Gin Runner was also my first Saturday metro runner, albeit unsuccessfully.”
As his team slowly built in numbers Edward had to relocate to larger premises. He now has eighteen horses in work in stables adjacent to the 1100m chute at Hawkesbury racecourse. “It’s a lovely training environment and the Hawkesbury Club do a great job in providing and maintaining first class facilities,” said Ed.
Edward has acknowledged his great heritage by naming his complex Myrtle House stables after the veteran mare who launched the training career of his great grandfather Jim Cummings more than a century ago. Owners who don’t have access to their own racing colours are welcome to use Edward’s stable silks of myrtle, gold braids, cream sleeves and cap.
So You Think filly Obiri carried those significant silks when she easily won a Hawkesbury maiden last year with Tommy Berry in the saddle. “We were confident she’d pay her way in a recent preparation but she pulled up very sore after the Canberra Guineas preview in February,” said the trainer. “She’s pretty immature so the enforced layoff might prove to be a blessing.”
Oribi sports the myrtle, gold and cream colours of the Edward Cummings stable in winning at Hawkesbury 20/08/2020 - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
Tommy Berry also rode Adamas Prince to an easy maiden win at Hawkesbury last year. “We thought he had a great chance in a suitable race at Wyong recently, but he disappointed on a Heavy 10 track,” said Cummings. “He’s a lot better than that.”
Apart from Prompt Prodigy and Duais, Lava, Evening Bride, Spanish Pearl and Tri Nations have all won races for Myrtle House in recent months. The elation generated by those rewarding wins was offset by the freak accident suffered by Sunborn in a two year old race at Rosehill last July. The Casino prince filly had impressively won her maiden at Newcastle, and had finished right behind the placegetters in races like an Inglis Millenium and a Reisling Stakes.
“We were very excited about her progress and couldn’t believe our luck when she was involved in the Rosehill fall in which Andrew Adkins suffered a serious leg break,” said Edward. “In jumping over the fallen horse Hot ‘N’ Hazy, Sunborn fractured the near fore lateral splint bone. She won a barrier trial recently and was all set to resume when she tied up very badly one morning. We had to delay her return but you’ll see her shortly.”
The stable was shattered when Sunborn suffered a nasty injury at Rosehill last July. Here she is winning at Newcastle in happier days - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
Edward suffered a major shock in September last year when a stable inspection by Racing NSW stewards caught him out on several relatively minor breaches of protocol. He’s still kicking himself for not being across these fundamental requirements.
“I don’t have an excuse in the world other than distraction,” confessed Edward. “It was right at the time we moved into the new stables and I was desperately trying to organise the appropriate staff. That distraction and my natural aversion to paperwork, got me into all sorts of bother. I copped a $2000 suspended fine and a well deserved wrap over the knuckles. I can assure you there will be more attention to detail at Myrtle House from this point on.”
By no means a distraction is Ed’s attention to his role as an Ambassador for Spinal Care Australia. His long term association with professional jockeys has given him an acute awareness of the very real dangers of spinal injury in one of the most hazardous sports on the planet.
His interest was sparked by a chance meeting at Rosehill with Duncan Wallace a prime mover in the activities of Spinal Care Australia, and himself a spinal cord injury sufferer. Edward is impressed by the organization’s commitment to dedicating all monies raised to the research of spinal cord rehabilitation.
And so with all stable protocols right up to date, Edward Cummings can focus on Saturday’s $1 million dollar Australian Oaks. He’s hoping Duais can add her name to an honour roll that is graced by the presence of such iconic fillies as Valicare, Wenona Girl, Light Fingers, Leilani, How Now, and Verry Elleegant. Win, lose or draw it’s a feather in the cap of young Ed to be saddling a runner in one of the great Australian turf classics.
Edward deep in thought as a runner returns to the enclosure - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
(Banner image - Duais stormed home to win over the Warwick Farm mile 31/03/2021 - courtesy Bradley Photographers.)