Clash of the Cummings in the 2011 AJC Sires Produce Stakes Field

Lucy Henderson April 6, 2011

Clash of the Cummings in the 2011 AJC Sires Produce Stakes Field

Saturday’s $500,000 Group 1 AJC Sires Produce Stakes (1400m) at Randwick is shaping up as a scintillating showdown between father and son as Bart and Anthony Cummings prepare their top two-year-olds Do You Think and Smart Missile to face off.

Smart Missile

Smart Missile will start the favourite in the AJC Sires Produce Stakes on Saturday

After the upset late withdrawal of Smart Missile from last Saturday’s $3.5 million Golden Slipper, Fastnet Rock colt Smart Missile has been cleared to run in the 2011 AJC Sires Produce Stakes on Saturday as they attempt to extend their unbeaten record to three straight.

Last start Smart Missile scored a shock win over subsequent Golden Slipper winner Sepoy in the Group 2 Todman Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill on March 12.

On Saturday the colt will jump from the ideal barrier four draw and in-form hoop Glen Boss, who fought with stewards to keep Smart Missile in the Golden Slipper last weekend without success, will be aboard.

Trainer Anthony Cummings is confident of Smart Missile’s chances in the AJC Sires Produce.

“He seems to be on top of his game and hopefully he shows that on Saturday,” Cummings said.

“I know he will go in to the barriers, I just want him to come out the front not the back!”

But if anyone can rain on his parade it is the Cups King, Anthony’s maestro trainer father Bart Cummings.

Bart prepares the other top fancy in this year’s AJC Sires Produce Stakes in fellow unbeaten two-year-old Do You Think.

Do You Think was the first emergency for the Golden Slipper but missed out on a start in the world’s richest race for two-year-olds.

Instead the Starcraft colt, formerly called Ingham, ran and won the Group 3 The Schweppervescence (1400m) in fine style.

On Saturday Do You Think will jump from barrier eight with Hugh Bowman in the saddle.

One horse that did run and perform well in the Golden Slipper that is set to back up in the Sires Produce is the third-placegetter Elite Falls.

The John O’Shea-trained daughter of More Than Ready took out the Group 2 Reisling Stakes (1200m) ahead of Satin Shoes in March on a rain-affect Rosehill track before running a game third to Sepoy in the Golden Slipper last Saturday.

Elite Falls

Elite Falls is one of Smart Missile's biggest threats in the AJC Sires Produce Stakes

Elite Falls will jump from barrier five in the AJC Sires Produce with Jimmy Cassidy maintaining his association with the up-and-coming star, who comes right into contention with the Randwick course currently rated a Slow (6).

“She came through the Slipper really good,” O’Shea said.

“I think the main Slipper chances coming out of the race are going to be the ones to beat and if Anthony Cummings’ horse (Smart Missile) can get to the barriers and get through them he’ll be nice and hard to beat.

“But we’re happy enough with our filly. She’s had an uninterrupted preparation and Slipper placegetters have a great record in the Sires.”

While it is good news for Elite Falls, O’Shea’s progressive colt Foxwedge will not contest the AJC Sires Produce.

Foxwedge ran seventh in the Golden Slipper after appearing to lose his action down the straight.

The son of Fastnet Rock is now set to undergo testing at the Randwick Equine Centre to establish how badly the colt’s injury to his near-foreleg is.

“I think he’ll be right to come back for the latter part of the spring,” O’Shea said.

“He definitely strained his origin, it was very tender when he got home (from the Slipper).

“It’s disappointing to get this far and then have something go amiss there, but he’ll be OK.”

The only other AJC Sires Produce Stakes hopeful coming via a run in the Golden Slipper is Gai Waterhouse’s filly Shared Reflections who ran sixth.

Other notable 2011 AJC Sires Produce Stakes acceptors include the John Thompson-trained duo of Pane In The Glass and Boys On Tour, Peter Snowden’s Exceed And Excel colt Helmet and last start winner of the Group 3 Skyline Stakes (1200m) Uate.

The 2011 Inglis Sires Produce Stakes is scheduled as Randwick Race 6 at 3:00pm (AEST) on Saturday, running one event before the day’s marquee race, the 150th AJC Australian Derby at 3:40pm (AEST).

2011 Inglis AJC Sires Produce Stakes Final Field & Barrier Draw

No Last 10 Horse Trainer Jockey Barrier Weight Penalty Hcp Rating
1 1X1 SMART MISSILE Anthony Cummings Glen Boss 4 56.5kg
2 3X11 HELMET Peter Snowden 7 56.5kg
3 111 UATE Kris Lees Nash Rawiller 2 56.5kg
4 11 DO YOU THINK Bart Cummings Hugh Bowman 8 56.5kg
5 5912 BOYS ON TOUR John P Thompson 6 56.5kg
6 13 EXCEED AND EXALT Guy Walter Nathan Berry (a0) 3 56.5kg
7 8X61 KING’S PACT David Payne Corey Brown 9 56.5kg
8 51X2213 ELITE FALLS John O’Shea Jim Cassidy 5 54.5kg
9 11132 PANE IN THE GLASS John P Thompson Jim Byrne 12 54.5kg
10 1316 SHARED REFLECTIONS Gai Waterhouse Damien Oliver 11 54.5kg
11 316X3 FAST AND SEXY Chris Waller Glyn Schofield 1 54.5kg
12 33X4 DISPUTES Peter Snowden 10 54.5kg

Racing fields and data are copyright 2011-2021 © Racing Australia Pty Ltd (RA) (and other parties working with it).
Racing materials, including fields, form and results, is subject to copyright which is owned by RA and other parties working with it. Full copyright notice.

Spring Racing

Horse Racing Today

Think. Is this a bet you really want to place?

For free and confidential support call 1800 858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au