Sydney trainer and son of the legendary Bart Cummings, Anthony Cummings remains confident that his SA Derby winner Shadows In The Sun can return to form with an upset in the Queensland Derby today.
Shadows In The Sun will attempt to win the South Australia / Queensland Derby double
Dane Shadow gelding Shadows In The Sun claimed a strong three-quarter length win in the Group 1 SA Derby (2500m) at Morphettville on May 8.
At their next start, however, Shadows In The Sun ran a disappointing fifth beaten eight lengths by winner Scenic Shot in the Group 1 Doomben Cup (2020m) suffering a minor injury during the run.
“I’m not sure what happened but something went wrong when Tim Clark left the fence,” Cummings said of the Doomben Cup run.
“He had a few aches and pains for a few days following the race but everything has settled down now.”
Twelve months ago on last year’s Stradbroke Handicap Day, Shadows In The Sun ran a brave fourth in the TJ Smith and Cummings is hoping for another big Eagle Farm run from them today in the $500,000 Group 1 Queensland Derby (2400m).
“He’s back on track and has been working well since he pulled up sore behind following the Doomben Cup,” Cummings confirmed yesterday.
Originally drawn in barrier nine, Shadows In The Sun and hot-property jockey Tim Clark will come into gate seven with the early Queensland Derby scratchings, the horse rated a $16 shot.
“He’s had a better preparation for the Derby than the Doomben Cup,” Cummings said.
“When he ran in the Doomben Cup he was coming back in distance from 2500 metres and had to overcome the trip up from Adelaide and then pulled up sore behind.
“I thought there was a fair bit of merit in his Doomben Cup performance.”
While the obvious Derby danger is Doomben Cup fourth placegetter and favourite today, the Graeme Rogerson-trained Shootoff, Cummings has warned punters not to write Shadows In The Sun off just yet.
“He (Shootoff) looks the one to beat but he’s quite beatable,” Cummings said.
Doing his best work on a firm track, the current Good (3) rating of the course proper at Eagle Farm will work in Shadows In The Sun’s favour and Cummings has his fingers crossed the pending showers stay away until after the Derby showdown at 3:00pm (AEST) this afternoon.
“All we need is a dry track,” Cummings said.
