Ontrack’s 2019 Royal Ascot will have a different feel with news that Newmarket trainer Luca Cumani is retiring at the end of the current season.
The Ontrack Royal Ascot tour bases itself in Newmarket for week one and has always featured a stable visit to the historic stables Luca and wife Sara have operated for 43 years. “Luca and Sara have always been fantastic hosts and the stable visit was always a highlight for our tour group,” said Ontrack’s Managing Director Grant Morgan. “We will speak with Luca and Sara and see if they will still be in the Bedford Lodge stables in June or whether we make alternative arrangements. It’s been an absolute pleasure dealing with the Cumani family,” said Grant Morgan. “The news of Luca’s retirement cuts one of Flat racing’s few remaining ties to a time when smaller owner-breeders had a fair crack of the whip, and modern-day leviathans like Godolphin and Coolmore were still in their infancy. “Many outstanding horses passed through Cumani’s hands in the 80s and 90s, including two Derby winners in Kahyasi (1988) and High-Rise (1998), while Barathea took the Irish 2,000 Guineas in 1993 and the Breeders’ Cup Mile a year later. “A split with the Aga Khan, Kahyasi’s owner, before the 2000 season was a major setback, with Kalanisi, a subsequent Breeders’ Cup winner, among the horses to leave the yard. Falbrav, though, helped Cumani to return to the sport’s top table with five Group One wins and a narrow defeat in the Breeders’ Cup Turf in 2003.” Cumani also mentored several leading jockeys, the most notable being Frankie Dettori, who was 14 when he arrived at Bedford Lodge. “I wouldn’t say it’s something I’ve been thinking about for a long time, but I’ve come to realise the time is right,” Cumani told The Guardian. I’ve been very lucky and privileged to have won big races all around the world and I no longer have the material to do so. I’ve been to Churchill Downs and Melbourne and now we’re having more runners at Wolverhampton and Chelmsford and it’s not quite the same.” Cumani’s son, Matt, is settled as a trainer in Australia while his daughter, Francesca, is a presenter on ITV Racing. As a result, Bedford Lodge will be sold in the new year, with Cumani and Sara turning their focus to his Fittocks Stud, just outside Newmarket. Ontrack’s principal Queensland trainer Chris Meagher has been honoured by the Australian Trainers Association with the trainer of the year in Queensland.
Chris was handed the award from his Queensland training peers thanks to the deeds of Ontrack Thoroughbred’s class mare Savanna Amour during last season. Savanna Amour won 3 stakes races last season across two states. In the Spring, Savanna Amour won the Group 3 Cockram Stakes and the Group 3 Odds Boost Stakes both at Caulfield. She was also a narrow second at Flemington on Derby Day at Group 3 level. During the Brisbane winter carnival, she collected the Listed Hinkler Handicap at Doomben before finishin a close fourth at her first attempt at Group 1 level in the Tatts Tiara. Now a five year old mare, Savanna Amour has won more than $639,000 in prizemoney from her 19 starts, with 7 wins and 3 placings. Savanna Amour was a $100,000 yearling purchase by Grant Morgan from the first crop of Sun Stud’s Love Conquers All. During her career Savanna Amour has been well managed to split her time between Queensland Victoria, taking advantage of the dual state boutique operation. Chris is the son of Melbourne Cup winning trainer John Meagher who still plays a key role in the stable. “Chris has a great team of people around him including father John and brother Paul. Brisbane foreman Andy Kermond has been with the family for many years. Dan Meagher is doing a great job back in Singapore," said Grant Morgan from Ontrack Thoroughbreds. “We have enjoyed a great strike rate with the stable since they returned from Singapore and we have a number of very nice horses coming through the ranks with Chris and his team. Meagher operates stables at Eagle Farm and Mornington in Victoria and currently prepares 8 horses for Ontrack split between Queensland and Victoria. “We relish the opportunity to move horses between the two states. It means we can place our horses to their optimum taking advantage of different class and race structures as well as taking advantage of typical climatic conditions the two states face.” “Meagher Racing is the only Queensland/Victorian operation of its kind so we feel very fortunate that our horses are getting every opportunity for success,” said Morgan. Talented mare Savanna Amour is on target for a Flemington appearance on Derby Day.
The Love Conquers All mare is being aimed at the Group 2 Linlithgow Stks (1200m). Savanna Amour finished 7th in last Saturday’s Group 2 Schillacci Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield behind the evergreen sprinter Ball of Muscle. “I thought it was a pass mark run. She got run off her feat a bit early and got forced back onto the fence,” said Ontrack Thoroughbreds Grant Morgan. “She was beaten 4.5 Len but was never really comfortable in behind them. She’s probably a mare better ridden off the fence where she can get into a rhythm and onto the back of something to take her into the race. “We would love to be able to ride her a bit quieter next start with cover and let her run on. “She has run very well down the straight at her only two attempts and we think she will be suited going back to Handicap from the less suitable Weight For Age at her first two starts this prep.” Savanna Amour was ridden by stand in jockey Michael Walker, who was warming the saddle for regular rider Ben Melham who was bound to an Everest commitment aboard Santa Anna Lane at Randwick. Melham will reunite with Savanna Amour at Flemington on Derby day. Promising New Zealand bred colt Tavisan is off to the spelling paddock after a successful first foray into Australian racing.
Tavisan heads for a spell after setting a break neck tempo in the Caulfield Guineas which was won by boom colt The Autumn Sun. “He was a bit wound up when he was being saddled on Saturday and was a bit keen walking around the yard,” said Grant Morgan of Ontrack Thoroughbreds. “He raced like he was over the top which is reasonable given this was his first Australian preparation and his fifth start this time in. “Personally I feel he is more a 1200m-1400m horse. He might stretch out to 1600m when he is more mature. In hindsight we asked too much of him in the Caulfield Guineas. “Tavisan is one of the fastest gate horses I’ve ever had. He is so brilliant away, it’s very hard not to use that speed and let him flow. “He’s not your typical Tavistock. He’s more speed than stamina. Ironically that was really also the case with Tavistock. Although he was by Montjeu, Tavistock was brilliantly fast over 1200m. He won at Group 1 level over 1400m before stretching out to 1600m later,” said Morgan. Like Tavisan, the Caulfield Guineas also proved a bridge too far for his father Tavistock. He finished 15th (beaten 20 lengths) behind Whobegotyou in 2008. Despite the Caulfield Guineas failure, Tavistock went onto to score twice at Group 1 level over 1400m, before stretching out to win over 1600m in the Group 2 Blamey Stakes at Flemington. Tavisan arrived in Australia in May commencing his first racing preparation under Caulfield trainer Mick Price. He was an impressive Cranbourne maiden winner on the 26th of July. Tavisan then graduated to stakes grade running a narrow second at Listed Level in the McKenzie Stakes (1200m) behind undefeated boom colt Brutal. Stepping up to Group 2 level at his third Australian start, Tavisan was a close up third in the Danehill Stakes (1200m) down the straight at Flemington. Stepped up beyond 1200m for the first time at his fourth Australian start, Tavisan was runner up at Group 3 level behind Native Soldier over 1400m at his first start at Caulfield in the Guineas Prelude. Ontrack Thoroughbreds’ classy colt Tavisan is ready for his grand final when he tackles the $2 million Group One Caulfield Guineas.
Tavisan was purchased out of the Karaka Premier Sale by Ontrack’s Grant Morgan in 2017 and since arriving at Mick Price’s Caulfield stable has had four runs for a Cranbourne win and placings in listed or group races at Caulfield, Flemington and Moonee Valley. “He was a very precocious type when broken in and we actually tackled a couple of group races in New Zealand with him as a two-year-old but things didn’t work out due to wet tracks or bad draws,” said Ontrack Thoroughbreds Managing Director Grant Morgan. “Tavisan made great progress from two to three and he arrived over from New Zealand and hasn’t looked back since joining Mick’s stable. “His form from a series of bad barrier draws has been excellent and his run for second in the Guineas Prelude two weeks ago was all the evidence we needed to proceed to the grand final. “The nine barrier is not ideal but he has good early speed and if rider Michael Walker can get over from that gate without expending too much energy I’m confident the colt will run well. “Tavisan is the first partnership between Ontrack and the Dubai-based Phoenix Bloodstock and it’s great to achieve such good results from our first association,” said Grant Morgan. Mick Price won the Caulfield Guineas last year with Mighty Boss and he’s confident Tavisan is a genuine chance of repeating the success. ''He should have the run of the race. We were hoping to draw inside four or five and have a conservative cuddle in the run, but it's not to be from that barrier as we will have to make a little bit of use of him,'' Price said. ''Hopefully we are not exposed too much. He is hard fit, he is thriving and I couldn't have him any better but he's got to be good enough on the day. His form lines are good.'' Savanna Amour returns to the scene of multiple group victories when she runs tomorrow in the $500,000 Schillaci Stakes at Caulfield.
The Ontrack Thoroughbreds managed mare has run five times at Caulfield for three group race wins and a third. Her wins on course came in the Group Two Angus Armanasco Stakes and the Group Threes Cockram Stakes and How Now Stakes. “There’s no doubt that she loves the Caulfield track and that’s been an important factor in planning her spring campaign,” said Ontrack Thoroughbreds Managing Director Grant Morgan. “She has good form second up and the 1100 metres on a good track should be a perfect assignment for Savanna Amour.” Savanna Amour will have a new jockey with Michael Walker replacing Ben Melham, due to riding in the Everest in Sydney. “It’s not really a major concern having a new rider because she’s a mare who has moved between Queensland and Victoria for much of her career and that’s often necessitated a riding change. “in fact she has raced 19 times and she’s actually had 10 different riders during her career. She’s had seven wins and five different jockeys have won on her so she’s not a difficult mare to ride and the change to Michael Walker won’t be an issue,” said Grant Morgan. Next week’s Ontrack Racing tour to the Hunter Valley will have the opportunity to reflect on the loss of outstanding stallion Encosta De Lago who passed away at Coolmore Stud last Friday.
After beginning his stud career in Victoria, Encosta De Lago moved north after being purchased by Coolmore Stud in 2004 and went on to forge a remarkable career. “Encosta was a true giant of the Australian breeding industry,” said Ontrack’s Grant Morgan. “He was twice champion stallion in Australia and he’s left 26 individual Group One winners to date. “His legacy will continue for some time as his sons and grandsons are having a tremendous impact while his daughters have left some of the best gallopers around and so far, Encosta mares have produced 12 Group One winners. “Coolmore is always a highlight of the Ontrack Hunter Valley tour and Encosta was always a great hit when he was paraded. “The stud acknowledges Encosta and its other champion stallions in Fastnet Rock and Danehill and participants on this year’s tour will also be able to see Encosta’s son Rubick who is now doing such a great job at Coolmore,” said Grant Morgan. Gold Coast trainer Toby Edmonds didn’t train a winner at Ipswich last Friday but he was a winner at the Ontrack Thoroughbreds Golf Shootout at the Emerald Lakes Course at Carrara.
The second Ontrack shootout attracted 12 participants and Toby Edmonds teamed with stable and Ontrack client Ian Mathieson and the pair proved too strong for the opposition. After handicaps they shot 30.8 to land the $500 Ontrack vouchers ahead of Ontrack client Dr Denis O’Brien and his son David. Ironically Denis O’Brien did taste success on the track on Friday when So You Wish, which he races in partnership with trainer Bevan Laming won the opening event at Ipswich. Saturday is another chapter in Ontrack Thoroughbreds’ favourite story – the life and times of Brazen Beau. AT Flemington on Saturday the first of Brazen Beau’s progeny heads to the races and fittingly it is a Godolphin-owned colt named Mercury. Ontrack’s Grant Morgan purchased Brazen Beau for $70,000 and after a stellar racing career which saw him the best sprinting colt of his year with two Group One wins at Flemington he was sold to Godolphin and stands at Kelvinside Stud in Victoria and Dalham Hall in the UK. “Brazen Beau has been am amazing story for so many people, not the least his 33 owners who enjoyed the ride of their lives, culminating in a wonderful trip to Royal Ascot where Beau was the unluckiest of seconds in the Group One Diamond Jubilee Stakes after drawing the extreme outside. “The story continues for the ownership group as they watched with interest his first foals arrive and then the first to be sold at leading auctions around Australasia and now finally we await Beau’s first runner to step on to the track. “It’s so fitting that it is Flemington, the track where Brazen Beau captured his Group Ones – first the Coolmore and then the Newmarket, beating the best sprinters in the world at the time Chautauqua, Lankan Rupee and Terravista. “And it is great the Beau’s first runner will run in Sheik Mohammed’s famous all blue colours. “His first runner is an all Godolphin product being a son of the Lonhro mare Jerezana, a talented performer for Sheik Mohammed and a black type winner who included the Listed Ramornie Handicap at Grafton amongst her five wins. “One thing is for certain, being part of the highly organised Godolphin operation Mercury is sure to be well prepared and we await his debut on Saturday with a great deal of excitement and optimism,” said Grant Morgan. |
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