Trainer James Cummings has used the wisdom of his legendary grandfather to prepare Prized Icon to win the Listed Fernhill Handicap.
The late Bart Cummings saddled up the 2010 Fernhill winner and James repeated the training feat with Prized Icon at Randwick on Saturday.
“My grandfather showed me how to win one a few years ago with Kudakulari,” Cummings said.
Prized Icon
Prized Icon sat outside leader Lasqueti Spirit before jockey Hugh Bowman called on him in the straight.
Sent out favourite at $2.80, Prized Icon responded for a two-length win from Crown Him ($4.20), with Lasqueti Spirit ($41) a head away third.
As for Prized Icon’s next assignment, Cummings chose to keep his cards close to his chest.
“He’s fifth-up today, I’ve trained him to a peak,” Cummings said.
“I’ll be pretty reserved with my judgment about whether we back up but I’ve got a race in mind next season.”
He said Prized Icon’s victory was a satisfying example of what the stable could do with a two-year-old.
“We only nominate about a dozen horses for the (Golden) Slipper and this is one of the few yearlings that we identified was going to be a really good two-year-old,” Cummings said.
“It’s great to kick a goal like that against some of the best two-year-old trainers in the country.”
The Randwick track condition, rated in the soft range, remained a talking point after the race.
Bowman said the track was “certainly rain-affected”.
After riding Bring Me The Bling, Tommy Berry also said the surface was softer than he would have liked.
“It walked better than it raced,” Berry said.
Jason Collett, who rode the runner-up, said the track felt sticky, similar to last Saturday.
