Godolphin Fillies to test their Oaks prospects in Randwick G2

A group of Godolphin fillies by an intriguing cross-section of Darley stallions will have their Classic aspirations tested in Saturday’s G2 Adrian Knox Stakes at Randwick.

Colette, Amitto and Maia Nebula each has distinct claims in their lead-up to the G1 Australian Oaks on Saturday and are part of an impressive team of Stakes race contenders on the opening day of the Randwick autumn meeting.

To trainer James Cummings, each of the fillies has prospects, both in the Adrian Knox and The Oaks.

“The G1 races are obviously important, but for a couple of reasons, I’m really looking forward to this race,” Cummings said.

Of the three, Colette (James McDonald) has the strongest claims on paper following her win of two weeks ago at Kembla Grange which followed a seven-length, breakthrough success at Newcastle.

“Going into big days there are always plenty of concerns, but we shouldn’t let them slow us down,” Cummings said.

“You have to believe in what you’ve seen, and we saw Colette win so well at Kembla last start and also at her previous run.”

Colette is a daughter of Hallowed Crown, now a Darley stallion and a horse Cummings trained to G1 success in partnership with his grandfather prior to joining Godolphin, while Amitto is by Lonhro and Maia Nebula by Bernardini.

“This is an excellent opportunity for all three of our fillies to gain some Black Type,” he said.

“Amitto has also come through the provincials. She’s out of a very good race mare in Anamato, so it would be great for her to run well.”

“Maia Nebula has been crying out for further so I’m very happy for her to be getting out to the 2,000m.”

In the G3 Kindergarten Stakes, a race won by Darley first-crop sire Astern and, last season, by Bivouac, Cummings saddles the Exceed And Excel colts Damaged and Jerle.

“Damaged has a lot of class about him, it’s just a matter of keeping the genie in the bottle for now,” he said.

“Jerle is another quick colt by the same sire who put in a fast, final furlong to open his account at Gosford.”

The stable’s prospects are also strong in the G3 PJ Bell Stakes where Plaquette (Rachel King), yet another by Exceed And Excel, attempts to continue a march through the classes, along with stablemates Kiamichi (James McDonald) and Pin Sec (Hugh Bowman).

“Plaquette comes here off an exciting win at the provincials and it will be interesting to see how she mixes it with the better-credentialled fillies. There has been a lot to like about her training.”

“Kiamichi has run encouragingly a couple of times this prep and Pin Sec hasshown she’s capable of producing a good run fresh.”

Saturday’s Randwick team is completed by Promotions, the recent Listed Canberra Guineas winner, in the G3 Carbine Club Stakes.

“It’s been a little like home-schooling a five-year-old since he won the Canberra Guineas. It’s been a struggle to keep him motivated.”

“He has ability and I hope he has the desire to reproduce it.”

 Meanwhile, the grit and determination of the former French galloper Cascadian and the brilliance of the high-class sprinters Bivouac and Trekking provide Godolphin with a strong selection of G1 options on the opening day of the Randwick autumn meeting in Sydney on Saturday, 4 April.

Cascadian, along with another former European Best Of Days and the resuming, middle-distance runner Tally run in a G1 Doncaster Mile that retains its reputation as one of Australia’s peak 1,600m races despite COVID-19 restrictions.

For Cascadian (Tommy Berry), the race comes a week after he proved himself a serious contender by winning the G3 Doncaster Prelude at Rosehill, a victory that confirmed the severity of the misfortune at the first two runs of his current campaign.

“It was a great relief to see him deliver last start after the trouble he’d encountered at his previous two,” said trainer James Cummings.

“Sometimes when things like that happen, they don’t deliver when they get the chance, but he did it in great style.”