Racing Confidential: Friday is D-Day for Australian Turf Club's call on new Leilani Lodge tenant
The Australian Turf Club board will meet on Friday to determine which trainer will be given the famous Leilani Lodge stables at Royal Randwick.
James Cummings was in the running to return to the vacant stables which have been in his family for more than 40 years before his shock announcement on Wednesday that he accepted an offer to train in Hong Kong.
This leaves the nation's premier trainer Ciaron Maher and the high profile Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott training partnership vying for the Leilani Lodge stables.
Both are outstanding candidates and deserve the opportunity to increase their investment in Sydney racing which leaves the ATC board confronted by a very difficult decision.
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Golden send-off for Cummings?
🗣� "We're really looking forward to the challenge ahead, taking this opportunity as a real now or never opportunity."
Hear from @JamesCummings88 following the recent announcement of his move to Hong Kong for the 2026/27 season... ðŸ‡ðŸ‡° #LoveRacing | #HKracing pic.twitter.com/vEvdBI56uT
— HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) June 12, 2025
As the dust settles on Cummings's bombshell move to Hong Kong, it is only fitting if he could provide some more big-race success with Godolphin before his tenure there ends on July 31.
Since Cummings took over at Godolphin in 2017, he has trained 48 Group 1 winners for the racing and breeding giant.
The champion trainer could 'raise the bat' for a half century of Group 1 winners with Godolphin at Eagle Farm on Saturday with Golden Mile in the $3 million Stradbroke Handicap and Zebra Finch in the $1 million JJ Atkins.
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Number's up for Warnie in Stradbroke
ðŸ'€ What a start to TAB Turnbull Stakes Day!! Photo finishes all round. Well bowled, WARNIE. Takes out the TAB We're On.
ðŸ'½ @7HorseRacing pic.twitter.com/ITqIpU7HZq
— Victoria Racing Club (@FlemingtonVRC) October 5, 2024
Warnie, the talented Maher-trained sprinter, is fifth emergency and needs a lot to go his way just to gain a start in the Stradbroke.
But if Warnie does squeeze into the field for the big race, he will carry the 23 saddlecloth which will be a number significant to cricket fans.
The late, great Shane Warne, or 'Warnie' as he was known, wore number 23 when he played for Australia in one-day cricket.
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Stayer chasing rare back-to-back feat
Sir Lucan wins the Listed @kiaaustralia Winter Cup for @GaiWaterhouse1 & Adrian Bott with a winning ride by Adam Hyeronimus at Rosehill Gardens. pic.twitter.com/6nOEoluVTv
— Australian Turf Club (@aus_turf_club) June 15, 2024
Sir Lucan is attempting to become the first horse to win successive Winter Cups in more than 60 years at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.
Since the Winter Cup was first run in 1957, the only horse to go back-to-back was Royal Bark in 1962-63.
The only other multiple Winter Cup winner was the remarkable Destiny's Kiss – but his wins were six years apart in 2013 and 2019. The former Joe Pride-trained stayer also ran second (2018) and third (2017) in the feature Rosehill staying race.
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What might have been
Arrowfield Stud's super sire Snitzel, the nation's four-time champion stallion, has died aged 23. https://t.co/cjaYEevgSK
— Racenet (@RacenetTweets) June 11, 2025
With Snitzel's passing this week, what would his colt out of mighty mare Winx be worth now?
Winx missed to Snitzel in 2022 but went back to Arrowfield Stud's champion stallion in 2023 and successfully got in foal.
She produced her invaluable Snitzel colt in November last year and was not served again that breeding season.
Although Winx's owners have not decided whether they will retain or sell their Snitzel colt next year, there is speculation if he does go to auction he could challenge the Australian record for a yearling colt of $5 million that was paid for a Redoute's Choice half-brother to Black Caviar in 2013.
Winx set a world record for a yearling filly when her first foal by Pierro was knocked down for $10 million at the Inglis Easter Sale last year.
Earlier this month, Winx's owners confirmed their mare will visit Darley's champion sire Too Darn Hot this spring breeding season.
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