Trainer James Cummings has revealed that the 2015 Randwick Guineas will be the early autumn target for Golden Rose winner Hallowed Crown.
Hallowed Crown delivered trainer James Cummings his maiden Group 1 victory in the 2014 Golden Rose. Photo by: Steve Hart
Hallowed Crown was sent to the spelling paddock when he suffered his maiden defeat in the Group 2 Roman Consul Stakes (1200m) at Royal Randwick on October 4, but has not returned to full time work and Cummings told Racing Ahead that he is delighted with the way the Street Sense colt has returned ahead of his autumn preparation.
“He is fantastic and he is doing very well for us, he is licking the bin every night,” Cummings said.
“He galloped this morning over 800 metres and he will trial over the coming weeks.
“He has a course proper gallop lined up on Saturday at Randwick and it is very satisfying to see him come back with a bit more meat on him.
“He looks and feels to his rider just as light on his feet.”
Hallowed Crown has raced exclusively in Sydney since he made his racing debut in March of last year and the three-year-old is set to remain in Sydney during his 2015 Autumn Racing Carnival campaign.
Cummings said that he considering sending Hallowed Crown to Melbourne for the Group 1 Australian Guineas (1600m) at Flemington on March 8, but he confirmed that the Group 1 Royal Randwick Guineas (1600m) at Royal Randwick on the same day is the far more likely target for the colt.
“I gave that strong consideration, but my only concern was that the pattern of running the horse first-up in Melbourne when his really big assignments are in Sydney,” Cummings said.
“We are not going to go to Melbourne although I suppose it would be foolish not to have him at least nominated for an Australian Guineas given that it falls on the same day as the Randwick Guineas.
“The Randwick Guineas is a primary early target in his preparation and that will tell us a lot more about where we go with him from there.
“The horse is really building up to that big Randwick mile in all the work he has done now and we will see him at the trials in the coming weeks.”
Team Cummings are chasing their third win in the Royal Randwick Guineas after previously taking out the race when it was known as the Canterbury Guineas with Belmura Lad in 1977 and Interstellar in 1989.
