When James Cummings was contemplating first-up options for Traffic Warden, it was no surprise the Run To The Rose was prominent in his thoughts.
Cummings has won the $300,000 Group 2 five times, four as Godolphin’s head trainer in Australia, including the past three.
He is using the set-weights-and-penalties contest to give Traffic Warden his shot at proving he belongs in the conversation as one of Australia’s top three-year-old sprinters, many of whom are among his rivals on Saturday.
Former star juvenile and brilliant San Domenico Stakes winner Storm Boy heads his list of rivals, which also include Switzerland, former WA star Bustling and Group 1-placed Linebacker.
“We are delighted with the way he’s come back,” Cummings said.
“We’ve given him a suitably long and slow build-up to be ready for an important race.
“A lot of these horses are on trial for the Golden Rose in two weeks.”
Cummings’ Run To The Rose hat-trick was achieved with Anamoe, In Secret and Cylinder, having also won with Bivouac in 2019 and Hallowed Crown, when he was training in partnership with his legendary grandfather Bart.
First run in 2003, the Run To The Rose has been an even better race to Godolphin owner Sheikh Mohammed and the Woodlands operation he purchased in 2008.
Prior to Cummings taking the reins at Godolphin, John O’Shea won with Exosphere and Astern in 2015/16.
O’Shea’s predecessor Peter Snowden also won back-to-back editions, with Desuetude and Denman in 2008/09, both of whom were bred by the Ingham family prior to the Woodlands takeover.
Bob and Jack Ingham had won earlier editions with Paratroopers (2005) and El Cambio (2007), when John Hawkes was in charge.
Several of Sheikh Mohammed’s winners have spent time on his stallion roster, which is what Cummings is keen to ensure Traffic Warden also does.
He already boasts an impressive CV, having won the Group 2 VRC Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) and finished a narrow runner-up in the Group 1 ATC Sires'(1400m), and Cummings remains open to what his spring plan might be after the Group 1 Golden Rose (1400m).
“He’s brilliant enough and he’s developed so much between his two and three-year-old years,” Cummings said.
“I feel like we’ve got some versatility with that horse (and) if we want to drop him back in distance, he could very well be our Coolmore horse.”
Star apprentice Zac Lloyd has the ride on Traffic Warden, who has drawn barrier six and is an $8 chance in the market headed by Storm Boy ($2.10).
