Ablity wins it at Flemington0:42
Horse Racing: The Robert Smerdon-trained Ability has scored a runaway victory in the All Victorian Sprint Series Final to make it three consecutive wins since being gelded.
Hartnell smashes his rivals in the Group 1 Turnbull Stakes at Flemington last year but one runner was missing. Picture: AAP
ONE of James Cummings’ first calls since taking over the reins at Godolphin is deciding his star stayer and one of Australia’s best horses, Hartnell, will dodge superstar Winx this spring.
Hartnell has finished second to Winx on four of seven occasions the pair have met including last start in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Randwick.
“We’ll steer him into races where he’s not chasing home a ghost and where he would be a chance of winning,” Cummings said.
He said Hartnell would return in the Group 2 P.B. Lawrence Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on August 19.
Hartnell will be set for the Turnbull Stakes (2000m) at Flemington on October 8, a race he won easily last year, and his future path plotted.
Last spring, Hartnell campaigned in Sydney before coming to Melbourne for the first time for the Turnbull Stakes.
“I would think he’s our top seed going into the Caulfield Cup but we’ll decide after the Turnbull Stakes,” Cummings said.
Hartnell smashes his rivals in the Group 1 Turnbull Stakes at Flemington last year but one runner was missing. Picture: AAPSource:AAP
Hartnell is $ 15 equal favourite for the Caulfield Cup with TAB, a $ 21 equal second favourite for the Cox Plate and $ 26 for the Melbourne Cup.
After last year’s Turnbull win, Hartnell finished fifth in the Cox Plate and third in the Melbourne Cup.
Cummings said stable foreman Paul Reid reported Hartnell was looking as well as ever.
“That’s positive to hear. He hasn’t won in six starts though but he looks in good shape,” he said.
Cummings trained his first winner for Godolphin when Manicure won the first race at Warwick Farm on Saturday.
Speaking on RSN, Cummings said he intended for Godolphin to have a bigger presence in Melbourne, but hadn’t decided whether to appoint a stable jockey, noting other big stables did not employ them. “I’ve got no immediate plans to get any particular jockey on to an agreement,” he said.
Originally published as Hartnell seeking to avoid Winx clashes
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