Godolphin 3YOs to the fore on Saturday

Clinton Payne - Thursday August 24

Godolphin trainer James Cummings will trot out some more of the stable's potential spring carnival three-year-olds at Rosehill on Saturday.

Jorda wins the Gimcrack Stakes. Photo: Steve Hart

In the spring last year Jorda scored one of the more impressive juvenile wins of last season when taking out Sydney's first-year-old race of 2016/17, the Listed Gimcrack Stakes (1000m).

The win was made more impressive by Jorda's appearance in the mounting yard where she looked more like a yearling than a two-year-old and presented with a coat like a horse straight out of a paddock.

"She come in with a big old woolly coat and she is only tiny but she is healthy and happy and she is a good little eater at home," Then Godolphin trainer John O'Shea said after the race.

Jorda went to Melbourne during the autumn before the stable pulled stumps on the filly's Blue Diamond Stakes campaign and she's returned with two solid trials in preparation for her three-year-old return in Saturday's Group III San Domenico Stakes (1100m).

"As you'd expect in the San Domenico, some of the more promising sprinters are resuming, colts like Pariah, but if this little filly who has a big action, is able to be within striking distance on the turn, then I certainly think she can run well here," Cummings said.

"She's an exciting filly if she's able to make that step up in maturity."

One of the more impressive triallers in recent weeks has been the lightly-raced Marsupial.

The Street Cry colt thumped Golden Slipper runner-up Frolic by 2-1/4 lengths on debut back in January before racing below expectations in his three subsequent runs.

On Saturday Marsupial takes on the older horses in the ASX Thomson Reuters Charity Foundation Benchmark 78 Handicap (1100m).

"He has been kept to the handicaps first-up this weekend but he is a horse on the cusp of being a black-type horse for us this campaign and into the future," Cummings said.

"He has trialled up really stylishly on two occasions ahead of his return.

"We particularly like the way he trialled at Warwick Farm when he was matching motors with a weight-for-age placed Group I sprinter Spieth.

"Look for him to be running well against the older horses. It will be an interesting test for him having just turned three to be muscling up against more experienced rivals. "

The stable also has two acceptors, Astoria and Animalia, in the Group III Ming Dynasty Quality (1400m) but that could be reduced to one runner come Saturday.

Astoria resumes in the blinkers for the first time while Animalia comes off an emphatic 7-1/4 length maiden win at Gosford 37-days ago.

"Astoria always looked like he had a bit of improvement in him and he's probably one of the better looking colts we're taking to the races this weekend," Cummings said.

"He stepped out of his box this morning looking an absolute picture.

"I've also accepted at Newcastle and I might take the easier option with Animalia.

"He's a really unique horse, quite old-fashioned, with a big action, who we'd like to see getting up over ground later on in this campaign.

"But judging by his dominant win at the provincials last month he's certainly got something to offer.

"But he might be better off at this stage keeping to the lower grades. "

Advertisment
More Reading...
Promising New Winner for Black Caviar
The racing and bloodstock world were saddened earlier this year following  the passing of undefeated world champion sprinter Black Caviar and her memory was recalled at Wangaratta on Monday when her three year-old filly Persian Caviar made a winning debut.
Juvenile Trial Watch – Rosehill
A busy set of trials at Rosehill on Monday morning featured four heats for juveniles and the winners were all unraced youngsters by Tassort, Too Darn Hot (GB), Super Seth and Golden Slipper winner Farnan, while a Wootton Bassett (GB) colt showed he could possibly still get to the Magic Millions 2YO Classic.
Sires With Winners - Tuesday December 24
Here is the full list of 9 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Boxing Day Interest at Ellerslie
Osteria was only upstaged by his talented older stablemate last time out, and back in his own age group, the gelding will be a contender in Thursday’s Gr.2 Shaw’s Wire Ropes Auckland Guineas (1400m) at Ellerslie.
Vale, Don Goodwin
Don Goodwin, the breeder of 11-time Group One winner Verry Elleegant, has passed away, aged 86.
Magic Millions Order of Entry Updated – Blue Point Fillies on the Rise
After a busy weekend of racing, the Magic Millions order of entry for the 2YO Classic and 3YO Guineas have been given a shake up with two fillies by Blue Point (IRE), a stallion that has had a mixed reception Australia, shooting into contention for the big day at the Gold Coast on January 11.
Super Seth Filly Set to Star for Wexford Stabels
Wexford Stables are bullish about landing a couple of knockout blows at Ellerslie on Boxing Day.
The Yearlings You Know You Want to See!
A flood of yearling images uploaded to the Magic Millions website ahead of the Christmas break have brought the first major Australian sale of 2025 to life in an online sense and for those who have not been visiting the farms in the lead up to the sale it’s a great chance to get a look at some of the superstar yearlings.
Sires With Winners - Monday December 23
Here is the full list of 27 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Eagerly Anticipated Karaka Debuts for First-Season Sires
An exciting group of rookie stallions will have their first yearlings going through the Karaka sale ring late next month.