James Cummings patient for Hong Kong debut

Australian trainer James Cummings, 38, is launching his Hong Kong training career. He is unlikely to have a runner at Sunday's season opener at Sha Tin, with his only entrant, Falcon Hunter, listed as the sixth reserve for a Class Five 1,200m race. Cummings, the grandson of legendary trainer Bart Cummings, was approached by the Hong Kong Jockey Club last year. He jumped at the chance after eight years as Godolphin's head Australian trainer, a role in which he became the youngest trainer in Australian racing history to win 50 Group One races by age 36.

A Patient Start

Cummings stated his stable is currently comprised of 42 gallopers. He described the team as "very new-horse heavy." He noted that new trainers in Hong Kong cannot work horses on the track until July 31, meaning he has only had a month of proper track training. "I can do some work with them from June when they come out of quarantine, but it’s no way to train a horse to be rushing to the first meeting if the horse is not ready," Cummings said. He has about a dozen stable transfers that could reach the track soonest, but emphasized, "we’re not in a rush." His owners understand the first quarter will see few runners due to the low number of transfers. This patient approach echoes his grandfather Bart's famous saying that "patience is the cheapest thing in racing and the least used."

Building the Stable

Unlike many new trainers who rely on transfers for early wins, Cummings's initial team leans towards unraced private purchase griffins (PPGs) and experienced private purchases (PPs). He explained his strategy was to find promising PPGs with "plenty up their sleeve" and balance them with classy PPs that have high-level aspirations, as well as others capable of achieving the Class Three bonus across different distances. Cummings stated he selected horses based on advice from owners and agents, as well as his own pinpointing, going "out on a limb" on some. This combination led to his stable of 42 horses by the end of August. He aims to build a solid operation without overflowing and will be looking to add talent to his squad over time.

Derby Aspirations

Two specific imports have been highlighted for major targets. Providence won this year's Group One Queensland Derby in Australia. Generic is a Group Three Hampton Court Stakes victor. Cummings believes both are beautiful horses that have settled well without any problems. He stated they have the right profiles for excellent Hong Kong careers. The pair will be aimed at the HK$28 million Hong Kong Derby next March, a key target on the fixtures calendar. Their progress will be one to watch in the standings for classic contenders.

The trainer concluded by reflecting that every new trainer has a different mission. For him, without taking over from a retiring trainer, the mission involved buying horses to suit his business from the start. He is "really thrilled about the support" received and the horses he will bring into the new season.