Wordplay had no luck when she returned to racing in the Listed Denise’s Joy Stakes (1100m) at Scone on May 17 and trainer Anthony Cummings is confident that she can bounce back to her best form in the 2014 Queensland Guineas on Saturday.
Anthony Cummings is expecting an improved performance from Wordplay in the 2014 Queensland Guineas. Photo by: Daniel Costello
Wordplay returned from a lengthy stint in the spelling paddock in the Denise’s Joy Stakes, but was blocked for run on a number of occasions in the straight and Cummings told Racing Ahead that jockey Chad Schofield had admitted that he had not given the Fastnet Rock filly his best ride.
“She just didn’t have any room,” Cummings said.
“The jock got off her and basically put his hand up and made a mistake and I wasn’t there to argue with him.
“She missed the start and came up the inside and the winners at that part of the day were coming down the middle of the track.
“He got behind some slow horses that basically dropped her run and when she got out she ran into the back of something else.
“She basically had a barrier trial and in many respects goes into this race first-up for the sake of it.”
Wordplay recorded the first win of her racing career, in the IPhone App Plate (1400m) at Warwick Farm on August 28, second-up last campaign and Cummings said that he is happy with the fitness levels ahead of the Queensland Guineas this weekend.
The filly will jump from barrier 13, but Cummings does not believe that will be a problem for the Thousand Guineas fourth placegetter and is hoping that the expected quick tempo in the Queensland Guineas will give her the opportunity to finish strongly.
“Second-up last time she was at 1600 and I suppose if there is an issue with her it could be that the 1400 could be a tad short,” Cummings said.
“It is a big field and there looks to be plenty of speed in the race and that is something that will help her.
“The barrier is not the issue that it could be and all she needs is some momentum and a bit of space to run into.”
Wordplay is chasing her first win at Group level after finishing second in the Group 3 Spring Stakes (1600m), fifth in the Group 2 Edward Manifold Stakes (1610m), fourth in the Group 1 Thousand Guineas (1600m) and seventh in the Group 2 Wakeful Stakes (2000m) during her debut racing campaign.
