Another Cummings has added his name to the honour roll of the Kennedy Oaks winners when She’s Extreme took out the Classic race for three-year-old fillies at Flemington.
Anthony Cummings joins his grandfather Jim, father Bart and son James as a winner of the Group 1 race after he trained She’s Extreme to win the 2500m showpiece on Thursday.
With Tommy Berry aboard, She’s Extreme, the $2.30 favourite, recorded a one length win from Pavitra ($12) with Queen Air ($7.50) a further 2-¼ lengths away third.
“It’s very good,” Cummings said of She’s Extreme’s victory.
“The big thing is to keep up with the kids! They’re setting a furious pace and for an old guy it is not always simple.
“But we’ve got a nice filly and a good mob of owners that have been understanding and copped it, not that it’s hard as she’s won over million-and-a-half now so it’s not all pain.
“I’m just pleased to have a filly like that to get the recognition, get the Group 1, certainly at Flemington.”
She’s Extreme was one of the better performed two-year-old fillies of last season.
She finished seventh in the Gold Slipper at Rosehill before later in the preparation going on to claim the Group 1 Champagne Stakes (1600m) at Randwick.
Winless this campaign, She’s Extreme did have two Group 1 placings to her credit in Sydney, the latest when third behind Victoria Derby placegetter Sharp ‘N’ Sound in the Spring Champion Stakes.
“I think she was the right horse to win to win this race,” Cummings said.
“It was the icing on the cake for a very good prep and it’s nice to see her get the right breaks today.
“Tommy rode her very well and assessed the situation at every turn. I’m just rapt for the horse as much as anything.”
For Berry it was his first win in the Classic and it was delivered with a patient ride.
He followed the leader Pavitra before slipping up on that filly’s inside in the run home.
“It is massive,” Berry said.
“I was only saying to my wife during the week that I’ve ridden a lot of good colts and geldings, I’ve ridden a lot of fillies and good sprinting fillies, but I’ve always admired Hugh Bowman and winning Oaks on good fillies.
“I guess the way I’ve evolved and grown into the rider I am, I wasn’t a very patient rider when I was younger, but over the years I’ve become a more patient rider and I think that shows in my staying races over the last few years.
“It has been an unbelievable moment and a great training performance by Anthony.”
