Anthony Cummings has saddled up many Group 1 starters since cutting ties with his legendary father in 1991. His first win at the elite level came just a few months after the split, when Final Card broke a forty year old track record in winning the Gadsden Stakes down the Flemington straight course. Anthony’s 21st Gr 1 came along just last week by default.
After a prolonged investigation the Cummings trained Mizzy was declared the winner of the 2021 Canterbury Stakes in which she was nosed out by Savatiano. The Godolphin runner subsequently returned a positive swab to three steroidal agents contained in the banned substance Altrenogest. “It’s not the way you want to win a Gr 1 but Mizzy deserves the honour,” said Anthony. “She won three top stakes races and finished second in the Gr 1 Coolmore Classic last year.”
Mizzy’s colours will be under the spotlight again next Saturday when She’s Extreme gives Anthony another crack at Group 1 glory. A resolute win in the Magic Night Stakes at her third race start, has qualified the Extreme Choice filly for the $5 million Longines Golden Slipper. She was coming off a fourth to Conqueror when held up in the straight on the Kensington track, followed by a closing second to Fireburn at Randwick.
“The seven day backup is of some concern because she’s not the most robust filly in the world,” says Anthony. “I’ve found she doesn’t need a lot between runs. For the first week after running second to Fireburn she simply swam and cantered before working 800m in even time last Saturday week. On the Tuesday before the Magic Night she again worked even time for 800m and strode up the last 400m in 25 seconds. You saw the result on Saturday. Obviously she’ll have an easy time this week.”
She's Extreme relished the H9 track with a strong win in the Magic Night Stakes - courtesy Steve Hart Photographics.
She’s Extreme was originally entered for the 2021 Magic Millions Sale but was withdrawn when she presented with a couple of minor x/ray issues. By the time the filly was catalogued, for the Inglis Easter Sale those issues had resolved themselves, and she was knocked down to Anthony Cummings for $275,000. The ownership syndicate was quickly formulated. Fifty per cent was acquired by respected Victorian boutique breeder Rob Crabtree under the banner of his well known Dorrington Farm. The remaining shares were snapped up by Monique Annetts, Robert Willis Bloodstock, Anthony and Lorna McAnulty, Joe Richards and Mike Buys - a total of six happy owners who’ll all be dealing with the inevitable flutter of butterflies when their genuine filly moves into the gates on Saturday.
When you’re the son of a man who trained twelve Melbourne Cup winners it’s feasible that early in his career, Anthony was perceived as a likely trainer of stayers. The man himself can recall having had only two actual Golden Slipper starters. Another top prospect was a late scratching at the barrier, while yet another looked a realistic Slipper chance before falling ill before acceptances.
Anthony’s first Slipper involvement came in 1995 when he produced a Zeditave colt called Zedrich who won two city races in Melbourne before finishing midfield in the Blue Diamond Stakes. He decided to bring Zedrich to Sydney for a possible Slipper tilt and was thrilled when the colt ran Strategic to a head in the Pago Pago Stakes. He raced greenly on the day and did the same in the Slipper a week later. “He overrraced on the fence with Damian Oliver in fifth and sixth positions to the turn, before getting into the clear at the top of the straight. He rolled around a bit and actually bumped another runner coming to the 200m. He finished up in sixth place just over two lengths from Flying Spur. Octagonal was second and a good filly called Millrich finished third. It was a hot Slipper.”
It was nine years before Anthony felt he had another genuine Slipper prospect. “Her name was Ballybeue and she was a natural runner by Peintre Celebre,” recalled the trainer. “She scored impressive wins in the Widden Stakes and the Silver Slipper of 2004 before coming down with something usually reserved for broodmares. She was very ill with mastitis and had to be thrown out of work. I was shattered. She had a number of runs later but never won again.”
Unlike Ballybleue this filly has had a flawless preparation. Tommy Berry was impressed but is committed to Russian Conquest in the Slipper. Brett Prebble has the ride. - courtesy Steve Hart Photographics.
In 2006 the trainer came up with a top colt in Casino Prince who finished second at his first outing before putting together an impressive hat trick of wins culminating in the Skyline Stakes. With three weeks to the Slipper Anthony decided to give him a quiet trial nine days out in which he was nosed out by the Hayes trained Churchill Downs. Casino Prince went into the Slipper as an equal favourite.
“Jim Cassidy knew something was wrong when they’d gone a few strides,” said Anthony. “The colt lost his off hind plate coming out of the barrier and couldn’t pick up at all. He was completely unbalanced all the way and finished near last about ten lengths from the winner Miss Finland. He more than made up for it later winning a Chipping Norton Stakes and finishing a close second to Triple Honour in a Doncaster.”
Five years later Anthony got that special feeling again when Smart Missile emerged as a likely Slipper type. In the spring of 2010 he was green but impressive in winning the Breeder’s Plate with Corey Brown in the saddle. He was spelled immediately with a Slipper preparation high on the agenda. Following an easy barrier trial the Fastnet Rock colt comfortably defeated Sepoy and Foxwedge in the Todman Stakes. He was still on the green side but oozed talent.
Smart Missile looked a Slipper prospect from the outset. Here he is winning the 2010 Breeder's Plate with Corey Brown in the saddle - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
When Anthony Cummings heard the Rosehill warning siren sound shortly before the start of the 2011 Slipper, he took a deep breath. He’d seen Smart Missile rear in the gates a minute earlier and could only hope no harm was done. His worst fears were realised. The aftermath of the colt’s late withdrawal got almost as much publicity as Sepoy’s win.
The stewards reported that in rearing up, Smart Missile had gotten his near foreleg straddled over the barrier partition for around forty seconds. He came down quickly and was backed out of the stalls. Some said the veterinary examination was unusually brief before the colt’s withdrawal was ordered. Jockey Glen Boss was reprimanded by stewards for challenging the vet’s decision, and requesting a more thorough inspection. “It was a massive disappointment for me and the Gooree Pastoral Company who owned Smart Missile,” recalls Anthony. “Obviously a win would have meant a huge difference to his stud value. I wondered how long it would be before another Slipper hope came along.”
Anthony still regards Smart Missile as the Slipper winner who got away - courtesy Bradley Photographers.
Eleven years have passed since that fateful Slipper day of 2011. Many talented horses have come through Leilani Lodge in that time including a handful of winning two year olds but none with quite enough ability to aim for a high pressure Golden Slipper. Anthony’s shooting for his maiden win in the great race, but She’s Extreme’s new jockey Brett Prebble has been there before. He had a nightmare experience in 2010 when Crystal Lily headed for the outside fence in the straight, but still scrambled home to win.
While Anthony was cheering She’s Extreme home in Saturday’s Magic Night Stakes, his son Edward was at Flemington with his exciting mare Duais. Anthony was glued to the big screen at Rosehill when Duais put the opposition away in the Australian Cup with a dazzling turn of foot. An Australian Cup and Golden Slipper double by a father and son in one week would create a priceless piece of racing trivia for future generations.