Grand old stayer Precedence will attempt to make the Melbourne Cup for a fifth time, with the veteran looking set to qualify by a path that pays tribute to his grand old trainer, Bart Cummings.
James Cummings, speaking on Racing Ahead on RSN, told the programme that the Cummings team – James and Bart – are setting the soon to be ten-year old Precedence for The Bart Cummings at Flemington, with the Listed race recently given an exemption for the winner to the Melbourne Cup.
“He’s actually going terrific – we had a little plan to be first-up in the Chelmsford (Stakes) at Randwick and if he’s in good form we’ve got our eye on the Bart Cummings to bring him down to Melbourne third-up for that race,” said Cummings on RSN.
“I think that’s really going to be his race – and create an exemption for the Melbourne Cup and I think he should really relish the 2500m at Flemington.
“I get the feeling that he’s still got some good racing in him this preparation.”
James says that his grandfather Bart was excited with the move to make The Bart Cummings a ballot exempt race to gain entry for the Melbourne Cup.
“I suspect he’s very honoured, he appreciates the steps taken and he understands the difficulty in doing that and the consequences and the importance of a decision like that,” he said.
“(Bart has) been a long-time advocator for a race like that to ensure an exemption for the Melbourne Cup.
“He’s now got his wish so he’s been determined to find a horse good enough to win it and that’s why we’ve got a really single-minded approach with Precedence to try and get the job done with him.”
Precedence is looking for his fifth start in the race with the stayer a consistent runner in his four starts in the great race.
He first ran in the Melbourne Cup in 2010 and has only been out of the top ten once when starting. He missed the 2013 Melbourne Cup by just short of having done enough to gain entry, and proceeded to win the Group 3 Queen Elizabeth Stakes shortly after.
In last year’s Melbourne Cup he finished in sixth place after starting the race at $80 odds.
The oldest winner of the Melbourne Cup is eight-years old, back in 1964.
Nathan Absalom
Roar Guru
There's always the exception that proves the rule though, for instance Efficient had terrible form leading into the Cup and was only there because of his Derby win. The other concern is when connections have more than one horse qualified for the Cup. When one of them is a big chance and the other absolutely no hope, why would you scratch the latter only to give someone else a chance to beat the former?
Ruffy
Guest
I believe there should be a lot more ballot exempt races. Too often there are 6yo derby winners making the field that are in hopeless form. At least with these ballot exempt races they ensure there will be a decent number of inform horses in the race. I remember a couple of years ago Puissance De Lune won the Bendigo Cup by 8 lengths. He was balloted out of the Melbourne Cup and then won the Queen Elizabeth by 5 lengths with his head on his chest. He should have been in that Cup and who's to say he wouldn't have won it. They never got him right again after that but he was denied his chance when in career best form. You will get some no-hopers from ballot exempt races but you'll also get the odd winner. Also it will encourage the lightly raced Euros to get here early and have a run or two before the cup (got to be a good thing for the punters).
no one in particular
Roar Guru
Worry less about emergencies and more about letting plodders like this in the race
Bondy
Guest
Its also a cunning way to make more money if Precedence can make the field and runs say 9'th or 10'th that's probably 2 - 300 k in prize money almost enough money to buy a very decent yearling with solid staying blood . Good luck to them ...
Tristan Rayner
Editor
The rising nine-year old himself!