Written by Richard Edmunds
A travel hiccup earlier this week has done nothing to disrupt the build-up for Godolphin’s two feature runners at Ascot on Saturday.
Best Of Days (GB) (Azamour {Ire}) and Widespread (Hallowed Crown) were among 18 horses on a flight from Melbourne to Perth that was scheduled for Monday, but was delayed by 24 hours when a fuel leak was discovered just moments before departure.
“Fortunately they both handled that hold-up extremely well – in fact, they did it so well that it almost had me thinking it’s the best way to do it,” trainer James Cummings said.
"In fact, they did it so well that it almost had me thinking it’s the best way to do it." - James Cummings
“They had the practice run to the airport on the first day, and then they were even better the second time around.”
Having eventually arrived in Perth, Best Of Days looms as a leading contender for Saturday’s G1 Kirin Railway S., while Widespread steps up to stakes class for the first time in the G2 Sky Racing WA Guineas.
Last spring, Best Of Days was a Group 1 winner over the 1600-metre distance of Saturday’s race, capturing the Cantala S. at Flemington.
Encouraging effort
Third placings in the G2 Feehan S. and Crystal Mile have been the 6-year-old’s best results in six starts this time in, but Cummings was encouraged by his last-start fifth in an attempted defence of his Cantala title.
“He didn’t see much of the inside rail that day, it just didn’t work out for him from a wide draw,” he said. “But he wasn’t far away from them at the finish, and James Doyle said he felt terrific and ran to the line very strongly.
“We’re very happy with him and we think he looks well suited to this race on Saturday.”
Widespread
Meanwhile, Widespread goes into Saturday’s race as the winner of three of his five starts. He is unbeaten in two appearances this season, winning over 1200 metres at The Valley on November 1 and 1300 metres at Bendigo 12 days later.
“He’s returned really well in this preparation,” Cummings said. “I was very impressed with his first-up win at Moonee Valley where he started at long odds against some talented 3-year-old opposition.
“I was very impressed with his first-up win at Moonee Valley where he started at long odds against some talented 3-year-old opposition.” – James Cummings
“He won with a bold front-running performance, and he was never going to be beaten.
“Second-up he started as quite a short-priced favourite against some seasoned older horses, which isn’t always an easy feat, and again he was too strong.
“Back against his own age group this weekend, he’s going to look very good in the form guide.”
James is confident the extra distance will suit Widespread
Widespread will step up to 1600 metres on Saturday. While all of his previous victories have been at 1200 or 1300 metres, and he finished fifth in his only previous attempt at 1600 metres, Cummings is confident the extra distance will suit this weekend.
“We’ve always thought he looked like a nice miler in the making, as opposed to a pure sprinter,” he said. “He’s not a brilliant horse, but he’s a very strong horse.”
