It’s been more than three decades since Bart Cummings won a Golden Slipper and he thinks it’s about time to put that right.
A couple of weeks ago there was no indication Australia’s legendary trainer would even have a runner on Saturday let alone a possible three.
Do You Think is the sole emergency in Saturday’s $3.5 million feature at Rosehill and began the Cummings onslaught when he won at Canterbury last Friday week.
Last Saturday, Salade gained automatic entry with his win in the Pago Pago Stakes and just a day later Empress Rock produced the goods at Warwick Farm to gain a berth in the world’s richest race for two-year-olds.
The remarkable thing about all three is that until they won, they had never been to the races.
Cummings isn’t fazed by his team’s inexperience.
In fact you would almost swear he planned it the way it turned out.
“The tracks were heavy and I waited until they dried out before I took them to the races,” Cummings said.
“The horses have all been in work for three months and I’ve been very happy with their program.
“But I didn’t want to turn young horses out on wet tracks just as I don’t want a track that’s too hard either.
“They’ve all come good at the same time so I thought I’d give it another crack.
“It’s been a while.”
Century Miss in 1979 was the fourth and most recent of Cummings’ Slipper winners.
Salade is the most favoured of the trio at $13 while Empress Rock is TAB Sportsbet’s $151 outsider.
Although he is not guaranteed a start, there has been support for Do You Think who has been backed in from $51 to as short as $26 with corporate bookmakers Sportingbet Australia and Sportsbet.
Do You Think has also been entered for the Group Three The Schweppervescence on Saturday, a 1400-metre race for the two-year-olds.
“There’s no reason why all three shouldn’t run well,” Cummings said.
“I don’t think it’s a problem that they’ve all had only one start.
“And it’s about time I won the race again.”
After Corey Brown was held to his commitment on Hot Snitzel, premier Victorian jockey Luke Nolen was engaged to ride Salade while Melbourne-based Michael Rodd will be aboard Empress Rock.
Steven Arnold, victorious in four Group One races aboard the Cummings-trained So You Think in the spring, will ride Do You Think if he gets a run.
The Peter Snowden-trained Sepoy, representing Sheikh Mohammed, remained the favourite on Thursday ahead of Smart Missile and Foxwedge.
AAP TURF
