The Cummings brothers, James and Edward, have divided up the last four runnings of the Group III Tab Adrian Knox Stakes (2000m) at Randwick, and it was Edward’s turn with the Xtravagant filly Arts.
Edward Cummings won the race in 2021 with the Shamus Award filly Duais who ran second to Hungry Heart in the ATC Australian Oaks at her next start. Cummings hopes to go one better with Arts, who ploughed through the heavy conditions under Sam Clipperton to defeat the Tarzino filly Mountain Guest by four and a quarter lengths, with Contributer (IRE) filly Premise a half-neck back in third.
Making just her third start, Arts was coming off a 15-length last in the Group III Kembla Grange Classic after debuting with a win on the same track on February 23.
“It probably surprised me how well she sprinted at the end of that race, given that she seemed to be very well on the bridle all the way through,” Cummings said.
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“She arrived midway through last year. She needed a little introductory preparation or two before we started getting serious. We felt like she was a nice horse from early on, but it would always be a matter of time.
“We wanted to have her in this time of year; she’s incredibly lightly raced. She’s just gone from strength to strength. What you see today is also an incredibly raw filly. She’s the most lightly raced horse in the field, and we’re very excited about what she could do. Hopefully, in seven days (the Oaks), but we’ll take our time.”
A homebred for Newhaven Park Stud, Arts is the best of five winners from seven to race for the winning Rubiton mare Graphic.
A daughter of the Listed Twilight Glow Stakes winner and multiple Group II-placed Bumtious (Quest For Fame), Graphic was sold by Newhaven to DJ Love for $4,750 at the 2021 Inglis June (Late) Online Sale.
Ajax Bloodstock shelled out $50,000 for a sister to Arts at the 2023 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale Showcase Session.
Graphic foaled an Overshare colt last spring.
Arts is the fifth stakes-winner for Newhaven Park Stud’s dual Group 1 winning Pentire (GB) stallion Xtravagant who covered his biggest ever book of 141 mares last spring at an increased fee of $24,750.
