3 minute read
Duais wins Queensland Oaks for young trainer Edward Cummings
Duais (3 f ex Meerlust by Johannesburg) provided her sire Shamus Award (Snitzel) with his third Group 1 winner and her young trainer, Edward Cummings, with his first when she won Saturday’s Queensland Oaks (Gr 1, 2200m).
"There is something about this game that makes you want to get up the next day and work harder and be bigger and stronger and prove it again and again," Cummings said.
"While I'm very thankful for the opportunity - I'm absolutely thrilled with today's result - I know there is a lot of hard work left in front of us.
"No-one really knows what their future holds, all you can really do is your best and we've worked our butts off and I hope many people understand (that).
"We started from zero, we had no horses in the stable and we built that up day by day, week by week, month by month and kept believing in ourselves and here we are.
"I'd like to think the same work ethic will carry us a long way into the future."
Hugh Bowman allowed the $2.80 favourite to find her feet in Saturday's 2200 metre race and she stormed down the outside to quickly put the result beyond doubt, scoring by two and a half lengths over Charms Star (Per Incanto) with Signora Nera (Sweynesse) third.
It was the jockey's 99th Group 1 win and he was thrilled to deliver Cummings his first having enjoyed a long association with the family.
"I've ridden Group One winners for Bart Cummings, Anthony Cummings, James Cummings and now Edward," Bowman said.
"It's of no surprise this filly has done this and I think the best is still ahead of her. I'm not going to make any wild predictions, but she is an immature three-year-old filly.
"Edward deserves all the accolades, to have the patience not to run her between runs and to deliver her here in a Group One race with a huge space between runs shows enormous maturity beyond his years as a horse trainer.
"This is the beginning of a very bright future for him."
One of three winners out of Meerlust (Johannesburg) who has also produced Group 3 winner Baccarat Baby (Casino Prince), Duais’ third dam is Franfreluche (Northern Dancer).
Having missed to Holy Roman Emperor (Danehill) in 2019, Meerlust was covered by Vinery Stud’s All Too Hard (Casino Prince) last September.
Dualis joins Mr Quickie and Media Award as her sires other Group 1 winners and the Rosemont Stud-based son of Snitzel (Redoute’s Choice) has sired 14 stakes winners in total. He will stand the 2021 season for a fee of $33,000 (inc GST) having stood for $19,800 (inc GST) last year.
Shamus Award has enjoyed his most successful season on the track this year siring nine stakes winners and he is currently the third leading sire in Victoria by earnings behind Written Tycoon (Iglesia) and Nicconi (Bianconi).