Why James Cummings picked Hong Kong over ‘bricks and mortar' of Leilani Lodge
James Cummings said people and his passion for training, not the 'bricks and mortar' of his family's Randwick stables at Leilani Lodge, were key factors in his decision to accept a contract with the Hong Kong Jockey Club from September next year.
Cummings' deal to join the famed racing district was announced on Wednesday, ending speculation about the 52-time group 1-winning trainer's future.
The 37-year-old, the grandson of Melbourne Cup king Bart Cummings, was due to finish as Godolphin's head trainer on July 31 after the racing powerhouse's decision to move away from a private training model.
Returning to the public ranks, Cummings was then set to face a battle with Ciaron Maher and the Gai Waterhouse-Adrian Bott team to take over the 55-box stables of Leilani Lodge. Cummings' father, Anthony, was forced out of the stables in February after having his trainer's licence revoked because of his financial troubles. The Cummings family has occupied the stables since Bart established them in the early 1980s.
The Australian Turf club has not announced a new tenant, but Maher, the nation's leading trainer, looks certain to get the nod after Cummings' withdrawal.
Cummings said his decision to move to Hong Kong came without knowledge about who was getting Leilani Lodge.
'The ATC were very patient, and I respect the position they were in, and the decision hadn't been made at all. I never got that sense,' Cummings said. 'I wanted to know all the information that was on the table there, and I got to that position.'
He said the potential to train out of Leilani Lodge again had been tempting but the need to provide clarity for staff and clients, given his chance in Hong Kong, was more important.
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Daily Telegraph
2 hours ago
- Daily Telegraph
Trainer James Cummings to train in Hong Kong from 2026-27
Don't miss out on the headlines from Horse Racing. Followed categories will be added to My News. James Cummings has withdrawn his application for the famous Leilani Lodge stables at Royal Randwick after accepting an offer to train in Hong Kong. Cummings flew to Hong Kong on Tuesday to front a press conference this morning in which the Hong Kong Jockey Club confirmed the trainer would move there for the start of the 2026-27 season. It's a real coup for Hong Kong racing to secure one of Sydney's most outstanding trainers. Cummings' tenure as Godolphin's private trainer comes to an end on July 31. He will take a 'sabbatical'' from training before he moves to Hong Kong next year. • PUNT LIKE A PRO: Become a Racenet iQ member and get expert tips – with fully transparent return on investment statistics – from Racenet's team of professional punters at our Pro Tips section. SUBSCRIBE NOW! 'This wasn't a decision I made lightly. With the upcoming conclusion of my exclusive role at Godolphin, I have carefully considered the right path forward,'' Cummings said. 'While continuing to train in Australia was my intention, the opportunity in Hong Kong presented a unique and respected environment to challenge myself and grow further as a trainer. This is a progression to the next stage of my career in a new jurisdiction.'' Cummings said he was privileged to lead a 'talented and committed team' at Godolphin since 2017. 'In deciding not to train next season, I also wanted to be fair to my staff by giving them the opportunity to commit to a long-term role with another stable,'' he said. 'To the owners who had already been forthcoming in their support, I want to express my sincerest appreciation. 'I felt it would be unfair to continue, only to step away and leave the team and yearlings without guidance during a pivotal stage in their development.' Cummings has been reconsidering his future since Godolphin Australia recently made a bombshell announcement that it was moving to a public training model from August 1. The trainer had lodged an application to take over the vacant Leilani Lodge stables at Royal Randwick. The Australian Turf Club's board of directors is due to meet this week to discuss which trainer will be allocated the 60-boxes at Leilani Lodge where Bart Cummings trained so successfully for more than 40 years. An original Hall of Fame inductee, Bart Cummings prepared some of his greatest champions out of Leilani Lodge including Saintly, So You Think, Beau Zam, Shaftesbury Avenue, Sky Chase, Campaign King, Dane Ripper and many others. The nation's leading trainer, Ciaron Maher, and the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott team are the clear favourites to be given the keys to the Randwick stables which have been vacant since the licence of James's father, Anthony Cummings, was revoked earlier this year. The famous Leilani Lodge stables at Randwick. • Comeback star can give Cummings a Golden send-off in Stradbroke James Cummings is only 37 years of age and has already trained 52 career Group 1 winners including two with his legendary grandfather, Bart. To put this achievement into context, Bart Cummings and Tommy Smith didn't train their 50th Group 1 winner until they turned 45. Chris Waller may rewrite all the training records but he didn't get to 50 big race wins until he was 42. In fact, the only other trainer to reach 50 Group 1 wins before the age of 40 was Lee Freedman who was 38. Cummings has been Godolphin's trainer since 2017 and has been hugely successful for the global racing and breeding giant, preparing 48 Group 1 winners for the 'Blue Army' and more than $200 million prizemoney. Anamoe has been Godolphin's best horse during the Cummings era winning nine Group 1 races including the 2022 Cox Plate and earning Horse of the Year honours in 2022-23. Cummings trained a Golden Slipper quinella in 2019 with Kiamichi and Microphone, and the winners of the Golden Eagle (Colette, 2019), Doncaster Mile (Cascadian, 2021), Epsom Handicap (Hartnell, 2018), Tancred Stakes (Avilius, 2019) and two Golden Roses with Broadsiding (2024) and Bivouac (2019). The champion trainer also enjoyed tremendous success for Godolphin interstate preparing the winners of the All Star Mile (Tom Kitten, 2025), two Australian Cups (Cascadian 2023, 2024), three Newmarket Handicaps (Bivouac, 2020, In Secret, 2023 and Cylinder, 2024), two VRC Oaks (Zardozi, 2024 and Willowy, 2021), two Caulfield Guineas (Anamoe, 2021 and Golden Mile, 2022) and the Stradbroke Handicap (Trekking, 2019). Originally published as James Cummings accepts offer to train in Hong Kong from the 2026-27 season
The Advertiser
2 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Legendary coach accepts para swimmer for first time
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It has made me fall in love again with swimming. "It has been the hardest five weeks of training in my life but I have loved every second of it. "The squad there, the support staff, Dean - it's just the perfect environment. "And to be surrounded by the best athletes in the world, it's unbelievable and it gets the best out of myself." Australia's para team for the looming worlds includes 17-year-old rookie Declan Budd and 22 swimmers who raced at last year's Paris Paralympics. The Paris opening ceremony flag bearer, Brenden Hall, will compete at his fifth and final world titles in Singapore. The Dolphins' para team also features Ben Hance, who broke his own world record in the 100m backstroke (S14) at the Adelaide trials. Hance set a fresh benchmark of 56.35 seconds in a heat swim on Friday morning. Tom Gallagher senses his duty after becoming the first para swimmer accepted into the program of legendary coach Dean Boxall. Gallagher is among a 25-strong Australian squad for the world para swimming championships in Singapore from September 21-27. The 26-year-old freestyler and backstroker, who has cerebral palsy and races in S10 events, joined Boxall only five weeks ago. "It's a very big honour for me, to be the first para swimmer under Dean," Gallagher told AAP on Friday night. "It's also a responsibility to represent the para community with pride and show that we don't have any limitations. "If I can do the hardest program in Australia, why can't anyone else?" Gallagher, who has won one gold and three bronze medals from his two Paralympics, approached Boxall, who coaches star able-bodied swimmers including Ariarne Titmus and Mollie O'Callaghan. "I just reached out ... and they let me in five weeks ago," he said. "It has changed the game for me. It has made me fall in love again with swimming. "It has been the hardest five weeks of training in my life but I have loved every second of it. "The squad there, the support staff, Dean - it's just the perfect environment. "And to be surrounded by the best athletes in the world, it's unbelievable and it gets the best out of myself." Australia's para team for the looming worlds includes 17-year-old rookie Declan Budd and 22 swimmers who raced at last year's Paris Paralympics. The Paris opening ceremony flag bearer, Brenden Hall, will compete at his fifth and final world titles in Singapore. The Dolphins' para team also features Ben Hance, who broke his own world record in the 100m backstroke (S14) at the Adelaide trials. Hance set a fresh benchmark of 56.35 seconds in a heat swim on Friday morning. Tom Gallagher senses his duty after becoming the first para swimmer accepted into the program of legendary coach Dean Boxall. Gallagher is among a 25-strong Australian squad for the world para swimming championships in Singapore from September 21-27. The 26-year-old freestyler and backstroker, who has cerebral palsy and races in S10 events, joined Boxall only five weeks ago. "It's a very big honour for me, to be the first para swimmer under Dean," Gallagher told AAP on Friday night. "It's also a responsibility to represent the para community with pride and show that we don't have any limitations. "If I can do the hardest program in Australia, why can't anyone else?" Gallagher, who has won one gold and three bronze medals from his two Paralympics, approached Boxall, who coaches star able-bodied swimmers including Ariarne Titmus and Mollie O'Callaghan. "I just reached out ... and they let me in five weeks ago," he said. "It has changed the game for me. It has made me fall in love again with swimming. "It has been the hardest five weeks of training in my life but I have loved every second of it. "The squad there, the support staff, Dean - it's just the perfect environment. "And to be surrounded by the best athletes in the world, it's unbelievable and it gets the best out of myself." Australia's para team for the looming worlds includes 17-year-old rookie Declan Budd and 22 swimmers who raced at last year's Paris Paralympics. The Paris opening ceremony flag bearer, Brenden Hall, will compete at his fifth and final world titles in Singapore. The Dolphins' para team also features Ben Hance, who broke his own world record in the 100m backstroke (S14) at the Adelaide trials. Hance set a fresh benchmark of 56.35 seconds in a heat swim on Friday morning.
The Advertiser
2 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Piastri sees 'cooler' stats ahead after great start
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"To have five wins in nine races is beyond what I expected really, even with a very competitive car," he added, saying there had also been a few other moments he wished he could rerun. "Whilst those stats are cool, that's ultimately not why I'm here," he said. "I'm here to try and win even more races and fight for a championship. So I think there's some cooler statistics to come hopefully." Piastri said he expected Montreal to be a continuation of how the season has gone so far, with champions McLaren winning seven of the nine and Red Bull's reigning champion Max Verstappen the other two, and also good for him. "Max will probably be competitive again. This was a very competitive race for Mercedes last year and I expect them to be quick again here," he added. "But you never quite know whether that's going to be matching us or challenging in qualifying especially, or a tenth or two back. Hopefully it's not a tenth or two ahead but you just never quite know exactly where the challenge is going to come from. "Monaco was a strong race for Ferrari and there's some similarities to here but we said that 12 months ago and it wasn't a great race for them." Piastri qualified fourth with Norris third on the grid in Canada last year but the Australian finished fifth with his teammate runner-up to Verstappen. "Somewhat ironically the races that were pretty bad for me last year have been the best so far this year, and some of the ones that were good last year haven't been great," he said. "So we'll see how we go but I'm expecting it to be a good weekend...I've been very comfortable with the car the whole year and I feel like I'm in a good place at the moment so I'm expecting it to be strong." Oscar Piastri could stand alone after the Canadian Grand Prix as the only Australian to win six or more races in a single Formula One season -- but the 24-year-old has bigger and better statistics in his sights. Only Jack Brabham and Alan Jones, world champions both, won five in the same year although their tallies reflect the fact that there were far fewer races then in an annual campaign than the current record schedule of 24. Piastri, who leads McLaren teammate Lando Norris by 10 points in the championship, has won five of the nine so far and been on the podium in the last eight. It will surprise nobody if the remarkably calm 24-year-old driver is back on the top step at Montreal's Circuit Gilles Villeneuve on Sunday. "It's a nice stat to have," he said of matching the maximum season haul of 1980 champion Jones and late triple title-winner Brabham. "But I'd be happier with the stat of joining them as world champion. "To have five wins in nine races is beyond what I expected really, even with a very competitive car," he added, saying there had also been a few other moments he wished he could rerun. "Whilst those stats are cool, that's ultimately not why I'm here," he said. "I'm here to try and win even more races and fight for a championship. So I think there's some cooler statistics to come hopefully." Piastri said he expected Montreal to be a continuation of how the season has gone so far, with champions McLaren winning seven of the nine and Red Bull's reigning champion Max Verstappen the other two, and also good for him. "Max will probably be competitive again. This was a very competitive race for Mercedes last year and I expect them to be quick again here," he added. "But you never quite know whether that's going to be matching us or challenging in qualifying especially, or a tenth or two back. Hopefully it's not a tenth or two ahead but you just never quite know exactly where the challenge is going to come from. "Monaco was a strong race for Ferrari and there's some similarities to here but we said that 12 months ago and it wasn't a great race for them." Piastri qualified fourth with Norris third on the grid in Canada last year but the Australian finished fifth with his teammate runner-up to Verstappen. "Somewhat ironically the races that were pretty bad for me last year have been the best so far this year, and some of the ones that were good last year haven't been great," he said. "So we'll see how we go but I'm expecting it to be a good weekend...I've been very comfortable with the car the whole year and I feel like I'm in a good place at the moment so I'm expecting it to be strong." Oscar Piastri could stand alone after the Canadian Grand Prix as the only Australian to win six or more races in a single Formula One season -- but the 24-year-old has bigger and better statistics in his sights. Only Jack Brabham and Alan Jones, world champions both, won five in the same year although their tallies reflect the fact that there were far fewer races then in an annual campaign than the current record schedule of 24. Piastri, who leads McLaren teammate Lando Norris by 10 points in the championship, has won five of the nine so far and been on the podium in the last eight. It will surprise nobody if the remarkably calm 24-year-old driver is back on the top step at Montreal's Circuit Gilles Villeneuve on Sunday. "It's a nice stat to have," he said of matching the maximum season haul of 1980 champion Jones and late triple title-winner Brabham. "But I'd be happier with the stat of joining them as world champion. "To have five wins in nine races is beyond what I expected really, even with a very competitive car," he added, saying there had also been a few other moments he wished he could rerun. "Whilst those stats are cool, that's ultimately not why I'm here," he said. "I'm here to try and win even more races and fight for a championship. So I think there's some cooler statistics to come hopefully." Piastri said he expected Montreal to be a continuation of how the season has gone so far, with champions McLaren winning seven of the nine and Red Bull's reigning champion Max Verstappen the other two, and also good for him. "Max will probably be competitive again. This was a very competitive race for Mercedes last year and I expect them to be quick again here," he added. "But you never quite know whether that's going to be matching us or challenging in qualifying especially, or a tenth or two back. Hopefully it's not a tenth or two ahead but you just never quite know exactly where the challenge is going to come from. "Monaco was a strong race for Ferrari and there's some similarities to here but we said that 12 months ago and it wasn't a great race for them." Piastri qualified fourth with Norris third on the grid in Canada last year but the Australian finished fifth with his teammate runner-up to Verstappen. "Somewhat ironically the races that were pretty bad for me last year have been the best so far this year, and some of the ones that were good last year haven't been great," he said. "So we'll see how we go but I'm expecting it to be a good weekend...I've been very comfortable with the car the whole year and I feel like I'm in a good place at the moment so I'm expecting it to be strong." Oscar Piastri could stand alone after the Canadian Grand Prix as the only Australian to win six or more races in a single Formula One season -- but the 24-year-old has bigger and better statistics in his sights. Only Jack Brabham and Alan Jones, world champions both, won five in the same year although their tallies reflect the fact that there were far fewer races then in an annual campaign than the current record schedule of 24. Piastri, who leads McLaren teammate Lando Norris by 10 points in the championship, has won five of the nine so far and been on the podium in the last eight. It will surprise nobody if the remarkably calm 24-year-old driver is back on the top step at Montreal's Circuit Gilles Villeneuve on Sunday. "It's a nice stat to have," he said of matching the maximum season haul of 1980 champion Jones and late triple title-winner Brabham. "But I'd be happier with the stat of joining them as world champion. "To have five wins in nine races is beyond what I expected really, even with a very competitive car," he added, saying there had also been a few other moments he wished he could rerun. "Whilst those stats are cool, that's ultimately not why I'm here," he said. "I'm here to try and win even more races and fight for a championship. So I think there's some cooler statistics to come hopefully." Piastri said he expected Montreal to be a continuation of how the season has gone so far, with champions McLaren winning seven of the nine and Red Bull's reigning champion Max Verstappen the other two, and also good for him. "Max will probably be competitive again. This was a very competitive race for Mercedes last year and I expect them to be quick again here," he added. "But you never quite know whether that's going to be matching us or challenging in qualifying especially, or a tenth or two back. Hopefully it's not a tenth or two ahead but you just never quite know exactly where the challenge is going to come from. "Monaco was a strong race for Ferrari and there's some similarities to here but we said that 12 months ago and it wasn't a great race for them." Piastri qualified fourth with Norris third on the grid in Canada last year but the Australian finished fifth with his teammate runner-up to Verstappen. "Somewhat ironically the races that were pretty bad for me last year have been the best so far this year, and some of the ones that were good last year haven't been great," he said. "So we'll see how we go but I'm expecting it to be a good weekend...I've been very comfortable with the car the whole year and I feel like I'm in a good place at the moment so I'm expecting it to be strong."
