James Cummings added another VRC Oaks (G1) success to his family's honor roll when Godolphin filly Zardozi produced a resounding victory in the Nov. 9 feature at Flemington.
The Cummings family boasts a rich history in the Flemington classic for 3-year-old fillies, with Jim Cummings (James' great-grandfather) first to land the prize in 1928 with Opera Queen, while James' grandfather, the legendary Bart Cummings, secured nine during his illustrious training career.
This Oaks win was the third time in as many years the coveted prize has gone the way of a Cummings, with James having secured his maiden victory in the race courtesy of Willowy in 2021, while his father, Anthony Cummings, added to the family's collection when She's Extreme won last year's renewal. The smooth victory for Zardozi under James McDonald puts James Cummings a quarter of the way to emulating his Hall of Fame grandfather.
"It's just a real privilege to be on the big stage with beautifully bred horses like this," said Cummings, who has been head trainer of Godolphin's Australian string since May 2017.
"She's a real reflection of his honor Sheikh Mohammed's vision to have an international pedigree here in a VRC Oaks. For only a slender filly, she packed a punch at the end of a mile and a half, as we had full confidence in her to do.
"He's [McDonald] absolutely nailed it. To win the Derby and the Oaks in the same Cup carnival is a great credit to James. He got himself in a perfect position early and settled down eighth in his own space. I love that, and she let go like a weapon. That's absolutely gold for her pedigree."
With a win in the Edward Manifold Stakes (G2) and second in the Wakeful Stakes (G2) in her previous two outings, with the latter coming just five days before, Zardozi was sent off a $2.70 favorite for the Oaks.
Appreciating the step up from 2,000 meters to 2,500 meters, the daughter of Kingman was traveling strongly entering the final 300 meters and quickened away from her 11 rivals in stylish fashion, eventually coming home an eased-down, 2 1/4-length winner over Aethelflaed, with a further four lengths back to third-place Basilinna.
McDonald was completing a VRC Derby (G1) and Oaks double, following Saturday's win in the former aboard Riff Rocket, and was quick to pay tribute to Cummings after the race.
"Derbies and Oaks, there's something special about them," McDonald said. "I've never won a VRC Oaks and it's a test of training ability, horse power, and obviously you've got to execute pretty well because they're immature still.
"My trainer's a freak. He just set this horse for this race, and it's paid off. She had to do it, she's a star filly, executed beautifully, bang, crash, whatever you want.
"She's got a very stout pedigree and it takes her a long way in these types of races. She was probably the best staying filly in that race, and even if that didn't happen, we would have made our own luck."
Zardozi was the 10th group 1 winner, and second in Australia, for Juddmonte Farms stallion Kingman, who will stand at Banstead Manor Stud for an unaltered fee of £125,000 (US$152,679, £1=US$1.22) in 2024.
