Renowned for his willingness to test a horse in superior grade, Anthony Cummings has taken a different approach with last start Saturday-grade winner Skyline Blush.
Instead of raising the bar, Cummings has lowered it and the filly will drop back to midweek company in the final metropolitan meeting of the season at Canterbury.
There is a method in his approach, and a well reasoned one given Wednesday’s Hyland Race Colours Handicap will be the last chance for the three-year-old to earn a BOBS bonus.
“It’s their last opportunity to get one of those so I thought it was worthwhile and it seemed a better option than the races last Saturday,” Cummings said.
“It’s a better surface for her and that was one of the main considerations for her.”
A daughter of Northern Meteor, Skyline Blush has won three of her five starts this campaign and gets into Wednesday’s race with 57kg, two kilograms below topweighted import Wee Frankie.
Cummings says the filly has worked well since her Randwick win and he plans to freshen her up after this run to prepare for some of the better mile races for mares in the spring.
“The weight scale suits her. She gets an advantage on Wednesday she won’t get on Saturday,” Cummings said.
“I’m probably just going to back off a little bit (after this run) and let her put on a bit of weight.
“I’ll have a look at some of the mares races during the upcoming spring. It seems to me she’s going to be up to that.”
Skyline Blush will be one of four Canterbury runners for Cummings who will also saddle up first starter Nu Wa in the TAB.com.au Handicap.
The two-year-old has had two recent trials, winning the latest, and while Cummings expects the horse to take benefit from Wednesday’s experience he says Nu Wa has shown talent.
“He’s still an improving horse and he’ll improve again with this run but he does show a fair bit of promise and he’s certain to run well,” he said.
Pincer Strike will represent the stable in the TAB Place Multi Handicap while Cummings won’t be surprised to see Tomiko improve on a better surface in the McGrath Estate Agents Plate.
Hugh Bowman has a full book of seven rides at Canterbury and is expected to clinch the Sydney jockeys’ premiership which he leads by 2-1/2 wins over James McDonald with Blake Shinn another win away in third place.
