Cummings won the $200,000 sprint last year with Alizee (Sepoy), and his hopes of a repeat victory rest with star-studden trio Flit, Cascadian (GB) and Savatiano.
Flit was a brilliant winner of the G1 Thousand Guineas last October. From four autumn starts, she added a victory in the G2 Light Fingers S. and a second placing in the G2 Arrowfield 3YO Sprint.
James McDonald has been booked to ride Flit, who has drawn the inside gate and is rated a $6 chance.
“There will be a fair amount of attention on her to see how she graduates from a Group 1-winning 3-year-old to an open company performer,” Cummings said.
“There will be a fair amount of attention on her to see how she graduates from a Group 1-winning 3-year-old to an open company performer." - James Cummings
“She’s always had the look of a filly who will grow into a well-furnished older mare. She’s shown more boldness in her training this time in, and she is more than capable of racing well fresh, as she showed with a fleet-footed performance to win the Light Fingers S. first-up back in February.”
Cascadian was a consistent performer last season, winning the G3 Doncaster Prelude and placing in the G1 Cantala S. and G2 Ajax S. His worst performance came in his final start of the season, the G1 Doncaster Mile, where he finished ninth but only 3.4l from the winner.
Drawn barrier 12 on Saturday, the 6-year-old will be ridden by Glyn Schofield and is a $23 chance.
Cascadian (GB) (blue silks)
“What we’ve seen of him this time in suggests he’s returned from his spell in good shape, definitely stronger,” Cummings said.
“After some luckless runs, all eyes will be on him to see if he can become the baldy-faced assassin and convert his potential into a big race win.”
Savatiano produced a string of big performances last season, including victories in the G2 Tristarc S., G2 Millie Fox S. and the inaugural $1 million The Hunter. She also ran second behind The Bostonian (NZ) (Jimmy Choux {NZ}) in the G1 Canterbury S. in the autumn.
Rachel King has been booked to ride Savatiano on Saturday, and she has drawn five and is a $7 chance.
“Her recent trial win on the Kensington surface shows that she has derived benefit from her spell,” Cummings said. “She can be explosive first-up and we are hoping the track conditions will allow her to put that talent on show.”
Savatiano
Melbourne runner
Meanwhile in Melbourne, Cummings will saddle Home Of The Brave (Ire) (Starspangledbanner) as one of the favourites in the G3 Aurie’s Star H.
To be ridden on Saturday by Damien Oliver, Home Of The Brave has been stakes-placed in both of his previous appearances on Flemington’s straight sprint track – the 2018 Aurie’s Star H., and the Listed Straight Six in May of this year.
“In my entire arsenal, this horse is probably my best straight-track performer,” Cummings said. “We are sending him to Melbourne to take advantage of that.
“He’s fresh and fiery after an honest winter campaign and will be sharp going into a race in which he made his Australian debut two years ago. We’re looking at this race as an opportunity to make amends for the one that got away.
“If he shows the form I expect to see here, we will try to pick the eyes out of the straight-track races at Flemington over the spring.”
Home Of The Brave (Ire)
