Awesome Avilius produces quick-fire double with ease

4 min read
James Cummings passed up a trip to Dubai for the World Cup meeting and he had no cause to regret that decision, which enabled him to be at Rosehill to celebrate further Group 1 success with Avilius (GB) (Pivotal {GB}).

Godolphin’s head trainer produced the 5-year-old to win the G1 Ranvet S. on the track seven days ago and opted to stay at home to put the finishing touches on the gelding, who shrugged off the quick back-up to add the G1 Kia Tancred S. to his haul.

And Avilius did it with aplomb, barely out of second gear to maintain his unbeaten record and leave his trainer pondering bigger targets in the spring.

“I looked at him on race morning and regardless of the great week he’s had, he looked stronger and better,” Cummings said. “It was going to take a horrible bias or some sort of tragedy to pull him up.

“He just swept to the lead beautifully in this proper weight-age race like a good weight-for-age horse.

“It was going to take a horrible bias or some sort of tragedy to pull him up.” – James Cummings.

“There were a lot of good handicappers going around and the winner of the Sydney Cup might come out of this race, but they’re not at his level yet.

“What he was able to do there is demonstrate the natural speed and strength that he’s got that’s been conditioned into him for a long time.

“We’re the recent beneficiaries of it and the stable has done a great job nurturing him and keeping him happy. I’m very proud of the team.”

Avilius is now almost certain to be sent for a deserved spell after winning four of his five starts this preparation, the only blip when he turned in an uncharacteristic performance to finish fifth in the G1 Australian Cup.

“This race has toughened up plenty of good horses like Makybe Diva and Beauty Generation when he ran in it as a 3-year-old.” – James Cummings.

“We don’t make decisions on race day, but I think in all reality we’ll put him in the paddock now,” Cummings said.

James Cummings and James McDonald

“This race has toughened up plenty of good horses like Makybe Diva and Beauty Generation when he ran in it as a 3-year-old.

“This horse has got the capacity to toughen for even greater weight-for-age targets. The preparation has been magnificent.

“He’s a horse to be respected and he’s a horse that we cherish to have in the barn and we’re so grateful to have him.”

“He’s a horse to be respected and he’s a horse that we cherish to have in the barn and we’re so grateful to have him.” – James Cummings.

Avilius lobbed along behind the leading pack under jockey James McDonald, who got him into clear air across the top and it was pretty much game over from there.

"I shouldn't get paid for that one I don't reckon," said McDonald, who capped a memorable day after winning the G1 Vinery Stud S. on Verry Elleegant (NZ) (Zed {NZ}).

"I know what all the fuss is about with him now. What a super horse, push-button. He's a pleasure to ride."

Avilus ambled to the front 300 metres from home and from there McDonald was in the fun zone, enjoying a joyous run to the post.

James McDonald enjoyed a joyous run to the post

“As careful as a trainer has to be about being arrogant coming into a big race, his effort was imperious,” Cummings said.

“As careful as a trainer has to be about being arrogant coming into a big race, his effort was imperious.” - James Cummings.

“He’s a serious horse and, fully fit his last two starts, he’s proven his weight-for-age capabilities. He’s had a $1.5 million canter around Rosehill and the blue colours go up.”

Big Duke (Ire) (Raven’s Pass {USA}) was never a threat, but as far the G1 Sydney Cup goes it was an ideal trial and one that trainer Kris Lees would have looked on with satisfaction.

Co-trainer Roger James has said for some time that Rondinella (NZ) (Ocean Park {NZ}) is the best horse he’s had since Silent Achiever (NZ) (O’Reilly {NZ}), who won four Group 1 races, and she did him proud in finishing third on an unsuitably heavy track.