Godolphin begins new era in Australia

James Cummings

A new era for Godolphin in Australia begins on Saturday, July 8, when James Cummings has his first runners as head trainer for the stable, a Press release said.

Cummings, 29, a fourth-generation member of one of Australia's greatest racing dynasties, brings experience beyond his years to an operation that is among the country's strongest and most successful.

"I have been very fortunate in my career so far to have learnt my trade from some of the best in the business and I will be forever grateful to the fantastic and loyal owners that have supported me in my career so far," Cummings said.

"It is truly an honour to be asked to join the Godolphin team as the head trainer in Australia."

While Cumming's makes his debut for Godolphin at a relatively low-key, off-season meeting at Warwick Farm, his planning for the major Spring races that are only a couple of months away is already well-advanced.

With the latest crop of two-year-olds arriving at Godolphin's Osborne Park training centre and the established stable stars back in work, Cummings has been focussed on familiarising himself with the team and putting programmes together.

"Fortunately, I have a fantastic team to work with. Darren Beadman, who will continue as assistant trainer, has had a great relationship with my family and rode two Melbourne Cup winners for my grandfather," he said.

"We have some outstanding new horses coming through and a very strong group of older horses who will be seen again in the Spring."

Cummings lifetime involvement in racing had a formal beginning in 2009 when he took up the role of junior foreman for his father Anthony. Four years later he joined his grandfather, the legendary Bart Cummings, as foreman and became his assistant trainer three years later.

James Cummings was granted a trainers' licence in 2013, continuing to train in partnership until the death of his grandfather in August 2015 and has since produced a steady stream of winners in his own right.

A breakthrough G1 winner arrived in the first Autumn as a trainer when Prized Icon took out the Champagne Stakes in 2016 and went on to victory in the G1 Victoria Derby later in the same year.

Cummings takes over at the helm of a stable that has won more than 200 races and A$18-million in prizemoney for the 2016-2017 Australian racing season that ends on July 31.

On his first official day as a Godolphin trainer, he will saddle six runners on a non-graded programme at Warwick Farm.