Anthony and Edward Cummings set an ambitious plan for Sky Boy to win the Villiers Stakes this preparation and saw it come together at Randwick on Saturday.
But in 2019 the four-year-old is set to shoot for the sky in the Doncaster and then the Melbourne Cup.
Boy wonder: Cristian Reith rides Sky Boy to victory in the Villiers Stakes.Credit:AAP
"On pedigree we have always had the Melbourne Cup in mind but he has a turn of foot, so we wanted to give him the chance at the mile," Anthony Cummings said. "Now he has won the Villiers, we are in the Doncaster and then we can step him out in trip.
"It would be great to have a runner in the Melbourne Cup in those colours of Dato [Tan Chin Nam] in that race, which has meant so much to our family.
Advertisement
"This horse has a bit of Dato and a bit of dad [Bart Cummings] in him because they bought his mum and dad and you have to remember Zazabelle ran third in a Melbourne Cup."
Sky Boy is certainly tough coming through a preparation, which started in September, to make it five wins in a row with the Villiers salute, including victories up to 2000m. He had the perfect run one out-one back before Christian Reith took him to the front topping the rise.
He sprinted quickly but was there to be gunned down in the last 50m when group 1 winning mare Aloisia made her charge from last to only miss out by a half neck. My Nordic Hero was another length away in third.
"I thought the way he presented is the best he has been, pre-race," Cummings said. "He used his speed to get a spot, relaxed and used his speed at the finish so in terms of race craft he has ticked every box now.
"He had to because there was a Group 1 filly running on behind him. He had to be that standard to win that race today. His Group 1 race will come and his turn will come. It's fantastic to see the plan come together."
Duncan Ramage, who bought Pendragon and Zazabelle for Chin Nam under the watchful eye of Bart Cummings, was delighted to take home a Villiers with Sky Boy, who has been through the James Cummings yard before landing with his father and brother.
"Every Cummings that we know has trained this horse at some point. It is 20 years in the making really because thats when we got dad and mum," Ramage said. "We will go for the Doncaster and Melbourne Cup next year if he is good enough."
Anthony Cummings, who will continue train Sky Boy by himself as Edward takes a trainers licence in his own right next year, is looking forward to next year.
"We're only half way there," he said. "We'll make use of [the exemption from ballot in Doncaster and it gives us some latitude when it comes to his preparation in the autumn.
"We aim to the Doncaster and then stretch him out in trip."
Reith will be a part of the team and is already preparing for a light ride in the Doncaster after riding 53kg in the Villiers. Using history as guide he could be asked to get down to around 51kg in the Doncaster.
"Ill try my best to ride at whatever weight he gets," Reith said. "He is only going to mature and get better and eventually running a trip will not be a problem for him.
"It took a while to get here but it was worth it because he was very good today."
Reith had been confident from the time he kept the ride on Sky Boy and it was a perfect ride.
"He makes my job easy, he jumps well puts himself in a good position. I let him go at the 300m and he does the rest," he said.
"He had a few tell-tale signs that he has had enough because he was a little bit keen in the run but he is a war horse and just kept going.
"A bit of time off and he'll come back a top line horse and Im looking forward to next year."
Racing writer for The Sydney Morning Herald
Most Viewed in Sport
Anthony and Edward Cummings set an ambitious plan for Sky Boy to win the Villiers Stakes this preparation and saw it come together at Randwick on Saturday.
But in 2019 the four-year-old is set to shoot for the sky in the Doncaster and then the Melbourne Cup.
Boy wonder: Cristian Reith rides Sky Boy to victory in the Villiers Stakes.Credit:AAP
"On pedigree we have always had the Melbourne Cup in mind but he has a turn of foot, so we wanted to give him the chance at the mile," Anthony Cummings said. "Now he has won the Villiers, we are in the Doncaster and then we can step him out in trip.
"It would be great to have a runner in the Melbourne Cup in those colours of Dato [Tan Chin Nam] in that race, which has meant so much to our family.
Advertisement
"This horse has a bit of Dato and a bit of dad [Bart Cummings] in him because they bought his mum and dad and you have to remember Zazabelle ran third in a Melbourne Cup."
Sky Boy is certainly tough coming through a preparation, which started in September, to make it five wins in a row with the Villiers salute, including victories up to 2000m. He had the perfect run one out-one back before Christian Reith took him to the front topping the rise.
He sprinted quickly but was there to be gunned down in the last 50m when group 1 winning mare Aloisia made her charge from last to only miss out by a half neck. My Nordic Hero was another length away in third.
"I thought the way he presented is the best he has been, pre-race," Cummings said. "He used his speed to get a spot, relaxed and used his speed at the finish so in terms of race craft he has ticked every box now.
"He had to because there was a Group 1 filly running on behind him. He had to be that standard to win that race today. His Group 1 race will come and his turn will come. It's fantastic to see the plan come together."
Duncan Ramage, who bought Pendragon and Zazabelle for Chin Nam under the watchful eye of Bart Cummings, was delighted to take home a Villiers with Sky Boy, who has been through the James Cummings yard before landing with his father and brother.
"Every Cummings that we know has trained this horse at some point. It is 20 years in the making really because thats when we got dad and mum," Ramage said. "We will go for the Doncaster and Melbourne Cup next year if he is good enough."
Anthony Cummings, who will continue train Sky Boy by himself as Edward takes a trainers licence in his own right next year, is looking forward to next year.
"We're only half way there," he said. "We'll make use of [the exemption from ballot in Doncaster and it gives us some latitude when it comes to his preparation in the autumn.
"We aim to the Doncaster and then stretch him out in trip."
Reith will be a part of the team and is already preparing for a light ride in the Doncaster after riding 53kg in the Villiers. Using history as guide he could be asked to get down to around 51kg in the Doncaster.
"Ill try my best to ride at whatever weight he gets," Reith said. "He is only going to mature and get better and eventually running a trip will not be a problem for him.
"It took a while to get here but it was worth it because he was very good today."
Reith had been confident from the time he kept the ride on Sky Boy and it was a perfect ride.
"He makes my job easy, he jumps well puts himself in a good position. I let him go at the 300m and he does the rest," he said.
"He had a few tell-tale signs that he has had enough because he was a little bit keen in the run but he is a war horse and just kept going.
"A bit of time off and he'll come back a top line horse and Im looking forward to next year."
Racing writer for The Sydney Morning Herald
