More than three decades after he strapped a South Australian Derby winner for his father Bart, Anthony Cummings has his own name on the trainer’s trophy after Shadows In The Sun led all the way in the Adelaide classic.
The win caught punters off guard with Shadows In The Sun starting at $21, but Cummings knew it was just a question of getting a firm track for the talented three-year-old.
He got a good (3) in Sunday’s Derby (2500m) at Morphettville and that was enough for him to show his best under a heady ride from Ben Melham who steered him to a three-quarter length win over Echoes Of Heaven ($6.50).
Cummings opted not to return to his old home town for the race and extended the Mothers’ Day celebrations in Sydney after the win.
“I decided to stay here because it was Mothers’ Day but I enjoyed watching the race,” Cummings said.
“When I first started working for Dad the Derby was the first stakes race we won together with Vacuum in 1976 when I was 20.
“It’s great to win one of my own.
“I looked all around Australia and Adelaide was the only place where I could find a decent track for him.
“He raced OK in the Frank Packer Plate in Sydney considering it was heavy and he lost interest just going to the barrier.
“On top of the ground I knew he would do better.
“We sent him to Melbourne last week and he worked well in the opposite direction so we pressed on to Adelaide.”
Shadows In The Sun finished sixth, 10 lengths behind Shootoff in the Frank Packer Plate on a heavy (9).
Cummings said the plan was to go forward from barrier 10 but not necessarily to lead.
“I told Ben to play it by ear because I was concerned about the 2500 metres.
“But once he got to the lead the horse relaxed and responded to his riding so it worked out.”
Cummings said he had not ruled out the Queensland Derby as long as the track was suitable.
“Wet tracks are out but nothing else is,” he said.
“We will have a look and see.”
Shootoff backed up his Frank Packer Plate form with victory in Saturday’s Lord Mayor’s Cup at Rosehill.
He has been elevated to $5 favouritism for the Queensland Derby (2400m) on June 11 with Shadows In The Sun an $18 chance.
Shadows In The Sun gave his sire Dane Shadow his second Group One victory with Shellscrape the winner of the 2010 Galaxy over 1100 metres.
AAP TURF
