The 4-year-old has been the big mover through the Sydney grades after starting his roll with victory in a Benchmark 70 event on the Kensington track at Randwick in October. Three subsequent successes from as many starts have propelled him into black type company.
Trainers Anthony and Edward Cummings have had their eye on Saturday’s G2 Fugen Construction Villiers S. for some time with the $250,000 feature also dangling another juicy carrot, money aside.
“The winner gets a free kick into the Doncaster so that’s been one of the main attractions for us.” - Anthony Cummings.
“The winner gets a free kick into the Doncaster so that’s been one of the main attractions for us,” Anthony Cummings said.
Anthony Cummings with jockey, Christian Reith and Sky Boy
Should Sky Boy achieve his goal on Saturday, connections will then take a step back and assess their best path to the Group 1 autumn feature.
“We’ll play that by ear and see what happens,” Cummings said.
Special significance
A Villiers victory from Sky Boy would also deliver a result of special significance on two fronts.
He was bred by the late Dato Tan Chin Nam at Think Big Stud, where Sky Boy’s dual Group 3 winning sire Pendragon (NZ) (Elnadim {USA}) stands, and he had a highly successful association with Cummings’ late father Bart.
Pendragon
Together, they lifted G1 Melbourne Cups with two-time winner Think Big (NZ) (Sobig {NZ}) and with the outstanding Saintly (Sky Chase {NZ}) and Viewed (Scenic {IRE}).
Cummings also trained Sky Boy’s mother Zazabelle (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}) to finish third for Dato Tan in the Flemington staying feature.
Partnership nearing end
A successful Villiers outcome would be savoured by the current Cummings partnership, which is drawing to an amicable close with Edward announcing last month that he would go solo from mid-January.
“I’ve been in the game a fair while now and more seriously as foreman and then training with Dad for the last six or seven years,” he said.
Anthony and Edward Cummings
“I have the utmost respect for my father and all he has taught me and the opportunities his guidance and trust have afforded me these past years.
“I began my career as a strapper, working up to the position of foreman and to be able to say we have co-trained at the highest level makes me very happy.”
The immediate focus though is on Sky Boy and he will strip at the top of his game on Saturday.
“He’s really going well and it’s just been a matter of him learning and gaining ring craft and confidence.” - Anthony Cummings.
“He’s really going well and it’s just been a matter of him learning and gaining ring craft and confidence,” Anthony Cummings said.
Sky Boy winning recently at Rosehill
“He has been very good all the way through and held his condition particularly well. He had a few little issues last preparation, but everything has gone smoothly this time around.”
Sky Boy’s latest win was over 1800 metres at Rosehill and Cummings said the timing was perfect.
“The three weeks between runs suits and he will be sharp enough for the 1600 metres.” - Anthony Cummings.
“The three weeks between runs suits and he will be sharp enough for the 1600 metres.”
While the weather in Sydney may have a say for many in the Villiers, Cummings is relaxed and confident in Sky Boy’s ability to handle whatever is thrown at him.
“We had an inch of rain on Thursday night and it looks like there’s more to come,” he said. “The horse has won on a soft track.”
Edward Cummings with Duncan Ramage
Unchanged combination
Sky Boy’s chances will again be guided by Christian Reith, who has reined the gelding to his last three wins.
There will also be a decent degree of family rivalry in the Villiers with Cummings’ other son James mounting a three horse challenge with Interlocuter (USA) (Medaglia D’Oro {USA}), Gaulois (Street Cry {IRE}) and Duca Valentinois (IRE) (Holy Roman Emperor {IRE}).
Interlocuter is the most fancied of the trio following his last-start win in the Goulburn Cup with Reith well aware of the 6-year-old’s ability having partnered him there.
