The Matt Cumani racing stable is buzzing.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The Ballarat trainer’s latest three starters have all been winners – Ryan’s Fender at Benalla on Tuesday, and a double with Marchesa and Golden Authority at Seymour on Thursday.
This gives Cumani six wins with his past 14 runners, including two doubles at Seymour.
What the Cumani team is hoping is that lightly raced three-year-old Greycliffe can keep the momentum going in the group 1 $1.5m Victoria Derby, 2500m, at Flemington on Saturday.
It is no surprise that New Zealand-bred Greycliffe has been the focus of the stable’s attention over the past week, given the excitement being part of one of the big spring classics has generated.
No one is getting too carried away, but there is cause for confidence on the back of the colt’s form and the excellent run the stable is having.
Cumani’s stable foreman Andrew Bobbin, who has a share in the athletic-looking Greycliffe, says there is no doubt there’s a good feeling about the place.
“He’s a genuine place chance. Top eight would pleasing,” Bobbin said, with stakemoney being paid down to eight.
Bobbin said earlier in his latest preparation there was some thought that Greycliffe might be a miler, but his last-start win over 2200m at Seymour had been a more dour performance and shown him to be a stayer.
He said it was the Seymour outing that confirmed him as a genuine Victoria Derby contender.
Greycliffe, which was purchased for $250,000 at last year’s NZ yearling sales, is raced in interests from Australia, NZ and England.
English internet entrepreneur Alison Jackson owns 50 per cent of the son of Tavistock.
The remaining shares are divided between Greycliffe’s breeder Carol Marshall; New Zealand stud owner, the Dowager of Bedford; Matt Cumani’s father, legendary English trainer Luca Cumani, and his sister Francesca; and Bobbin, who also other friends involved.
Maria Thomson and Stephen Royal, who bought in through Bobbin, arrived in Ballarat on Friday and will see Greycliffe race in the flesh for the first time at Flemington.
And they cannot wait. They are not new to racing ownership, but this is something special and they cannot wait to be part of one of the biggest days on the Australian calendar.