Australia's Racing Fraternity is mourning the passing of one our treasures, Bart Cummings OAM at 87yo.
Bart Cummings was synonymous with horse racing in Australia and we are all forever indebted to him for the wonderful racing memories and champion thoroughbreds he trained over a remarkable six decades.
In our sport, Bart was a legend in every sense of the word.
Bart Cummings was a household name.
As an industry, we only recently celebrated Bart’s 60 years in training.
Bart with his larger than life character and dry and clever witty one liners, will be missed.
His horsemanship skill matched by an extraordinary personality and great witty one-liners struck a chord with all Australians - whether they were involved in racing or not.
Bart was an Australian sporting icon, a 12-time Melbourne Cup-winning trainer.
Bart Cummings passed away in the early hours of Sunday morning at the age of 87.
Bart's son Anthony tweeted at 2.05am, "Dad died peacefully in his sleep”.
Our team at Dynamic Syndications on behalf of our team of Owners, would like to pass on our sincere condolences on the loss of a legendary man to Valmae, Bart's wife of 61 years and his family, including son Anthony, and grandsons James – who was co-trainer with Bart and Edward who is stable foreman for Anthony.”
Bart Cummings co-trainer and grandson James Cummings issued a statement shortly after Bart's passing on behalf of the family. It read:
"James Bartholomew Cummings OAM, passed away peacefully in his sleep in the early hours of this morning, Sunday the 30th of August 2015, in his homestead at Prince’s Farm, Castlereagh.
"His final moments were spent with his family and wife of 61 years, Valmae, with whom he celebrated their 61st anniversary on Friday.
"For Bart, aged 87, this was a fitting end. A husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather; a master trainer and a larger than life figure.
"We will miss you.”
Bart Cummings with his co-trainer grandson James Cummings
Born and raised in South Australia, Bart Cummings was the son of quality horseman Jim Cummings, a racehorse trainer.
Bart had his first Melbourne Cup experience when strapping the 1950 winner Comic Court for his father Jim.
Bart took out his training licence in 1953 and won his first Group 1 race in 1958 when Stormy Passage scored.
Eight years later in 1965 it was Light Fingers that gave him his first win in the Melbourne Cup which would be the first of 12 Melbourne Cups with Viewed being his last in 2008.
Cummings has trained seven more winners of Australia’s greatest race than any other trainer.
His final race victory came on Saturday at Rosehill when Sultry Feeling was victorious.
Bart was inducted into the Australian Sporting Hall of Fame in 1991 and he was an inaugural inductee into the Australian Racing Hall of Fame in 2001.
Bart winning 12 Melbourne Cups – is a feat that is unlikely to be ever matched let alone bettered – four Golden Slippers, five Doncaster Miles and won in excess of 7,000 races and 268 Group 1 races.
In a long list of achievements, Bart also won 32 Derbies, 24 Oaks, 7 Caulfield Cups, 5 Cox Plates and 13 Australian Cups.
Incredibly, Bart is the only trainer to have won the 3 Major 2yo Races: Golden Slipper, Blue Diamond, Magic Millions.
Bart was made a member of the Order of Australia in 1982 for his services to the racing industry.
In 2007 Australia Post displayed his image on a postage stamp as part of its Australian Legends series.
Bart Cummings had been in ill health for some time and rarely ventured from his farm in recent years.
Fellow Racing Identity and Hall Of Fame Trainer
GAI WATERHOUSE summed up industry emotions well when she tweeted:
"A great sadness clouds over the Industry with the news of Bart Cummings’ passing. The Cups King’s legacy remembered - past, present & future."
Bart's Story:
If a 16-year-old Bart Cummings had taken expert medical advice to combat the chronic asthma which plagued him, the history of Australian racing would be so much different, and so much poorer.
Cummings was given a simple cure for the chronic condition he had suffered all his life.
"It's easy, stay away from horses and chaff," his doctor told him.
It wasn't easy, it was impossible and young Bart immediately went back to his father Jim's stable to feed the horses.
Seven decades and 12 Melbourne Cups later, Cummings is firmly entrenched in Australian folklore as the "Cups King".
But he was anything but a once-a-year trainer and his record of 268 Group 1 victories placed Bart 2nd only to the late TJ Smith with 279.
"I don't keep records," Cummings once said. "That may sound strange but I never look back, I only look ahead. You can't dwell on the past. Racing goes on and you have to go with it."
In keeping with that philosophy, Cummings was not content to rest on his laurels as a successful trainer in the southern states and moved his family to Sydney in 1975 where he set up Leilani Lodge at Randwick.
TJ Smith once in an interview said: "When he moved to Sydney, I didn’t think he would adjust to the competition of Sydney racing, once again he amazed me."
So what were Bart's secrets?
The training regime? - "A good horse will win the race you train him for," was the reply.
Is it in the feed? - "I like to feed horses as much as they will eat."
Cummings was famous for his one-liners, his sardonic grin and the sparkle in the eyes beneath a pretty impressive set of eyebrows.
But he never uttered a word without thinking, never smiled without reason, and what those twinkling eyes saw set him apart from his peers.
He selected yearlings with Cups, Derbies and Doncaster's in mind and his success rate was uncanny. He was a master at training 2yo's as well.
"I worked out early that you have to aim for the top and then work down," he said.
"I've tried to eliminate the speculative side of racing by trying to choose Group One winners as yearlings. If they don't make the grade there are plenty of other races around."
And when they made the grade, the least surprised was their trainer.
Cummings described his 1978 Doncaster winner Maybe Mahal as "easily the smallest, weediest yearling I've ever trained".
Twenty years later, Catalan Opening was at 33-1 with punters to give Cummings his sixth Doncaster, but he was odds-on with the trainer after being gelded.
"People are slow learners, they woke up slow," he said.
The fact Bart Cummings remained in the game as long as he did was testament to his steely determination and resolve to pick himself up after adversity.
The first blow to his career came early on when he was outed for a year after one of his horses showed a marked improvement when wearing blinkers, a new and controversial practice at the time.
"All trainers, no matter how good, go through a battling stage," he reflected.
"It's just a matter of having the determination to go on and I hoped the breaks would not be long in coming.
"I keep my horses in the weakest of company and myself in the best of company. It's the best recipe for success that I know."
Cummings had a few other setbacks, most notably the collapse of the Cups King syndicate in 1989, ironically the season he won his only Sydney premiership.
His simple philosophy as to how he treated his horses is one which could just as easily be applied to the way Bart himself was regarded.
Bart said: "They think, they are honest, they are genuine, they are very intelligent and they do not forget. You get a few non-conformists occasionally but if you are good tempered and good natured, horses will respond in a similar manner."
Statistical evidence why Bart Cummings was one of the great trainers the world has ever seen.
1 – Order of Hall of Fame induction: Cummings was one of the inaugural inductees in the trainers’ category and was the first human elevated to Legend status (behind Phar Lap).
2 – Group 1 wins with James: Bart embarked on a training partnership with grandson James and twice celebrated victory at the highest level, last year’s Golden Rose and this year’s Randwick Guineas, both with Hallowed Crown.
4 – Golden Slipper: Storm Queen (1966), Tontonan (1973), Vivarchi (1976) and Century Miss (1979)
5 – Cox Plates: Taj Rossi (1973), Saintly (1996), Dane Ripper (1997) and So You Think (2009 and 2010).
7 – Caulfield Cups (record): Galilee (1966), Big Philou (1969), Leilani (1974), Ming Dynasty (1977), Ming Dynasty (1980), Let’s Elope (1991) and Viewed (2009).
8 – Newmarket Handicaps (record): First with Crown in 1972; last with Shaftesbury Avenue in 1991.
9 – Horse Of The Year award winners: Dayana, Taj Rossi, Leilani, Lord Dudley, Maybe Mahal, Hyperno, Beau Zam, Let’s Elope, Saintly.
11 – Mackinnon Stakes (record): First with Trellios in 1959; last with So You Think in 2010.
12 – Melbourne Cups (record): Light Fingers (1965), Galilee (1966), Red Handed (1967), Think Big (1974/75), Gold And Black (1977), Hyperno (1979), Kingston Rule (1990), Let’s Elope (1991), Saintly (1996), Rogan Josh (1999) and Viewed (2008).
13 – Australian Cups (record): First with Arctic Coast in 1968, last with Sirmione in 2008.
24 – Oaks: 9 in Victoria, 7 in New South Wales, 6 in South Australia, 1 in Queensland and Western Australia.
32 – Derbies: 10 in South Australia, 8 in Western Australian, 6 in Victoria, 5 in New South Wales, 4 in Queensland and 1 in Tasmania.
62 – Years as a trainer: First licensed May 1953.
87 – Age at death: Born 14 November 1927, died 30 August 2015.
88 – Melbourne Cup starters: 12 winners and 10 placegetters (including five Quinellas).
268 – Group 1s: First with Stormy Passage in the 1958 SA Derby; last with Hallowed Crown in this year’s Randwick Guineas.
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“We thank and honour Bart Cummings as a legend of our sport and a great Australian."
BART CUMMINGS CAREER :
Bart with THINK BIG
Bart’s training career highlights includes the following statistical data :
Bart trained 9 Champion Racehorses of the Year.
The Australian Racehorse of the Year awards only commenced in 1968/69 and we can safely assume that Bart would have many more awards considering the achievements of Light Fingers, Galilee and Storm Queen during the early 1960’s.
1972/73 – Dayana
VRC, SAJC, WATC, WATC Australian Derby’s, WATC Perth Cup
1973/74 – Taj Rossi
MVRC Cox Plate, VRC Derby, VRC George Adams
1974/75 – Leilani
AJC Oaks, VATC Toorak Hcp, Caulfield Cup, CF Orr, VRC Mackinnon, Australian Cup
1975/76 – Lord Dudley
VATC Blue Diamond, VRC Sires Produce, Australian Cup, MVRC Manikato
Stakes, William Reid Stakes
1977/78 – Maybe Mahal
VRC Craven Stakes, George Adams Hcp, Lightening Stakes, Newmarket
Hcp, BTC Doomben 10,000, AJC Doncaster
1980/81 – Hyperno
VRC Melbourne Cup, Australian Cup, VATC Caulfield Stakes, STC Rawson Stakes
1987/88 – Beau Zam
AJC Spring Champion, STC Rawson Stakes-twice, STC Tancred Stakes, AJC Derby
1991/92 – Let’s Elope
VATC Caulfield Cup, CF Orr Stakes VRC Mackinnon Stakes, Melbourne Cup, Australian Cup
1996/97 – Saintly
VRC Australian Cup, Melbourne Cup, MVRC Cox Plate, VATC CF Orr Stakes
BART’S PERSONAL FAVOURITES
SAINTLY
Saintly will always have a special place in Bart’s heart. Saintly was
bred at Bart’s private farm – Princes Farm and is by quite an unknown
stallion Sky Chase who previously won the Champagne Stakes for Bart.
Saintly started his success in 1995 when he won the VRC Carbine Club
Stakes (Listed). In 1996 he won a total of five Group races. Not only
did he win the Cox Plate that year but he backed up 10 days later to
give Bart his 11th win of the Melbourne Cup.
LET'S ELOPE
Champion Australian Racehorse of the 1991- 1929 season Let’s Elope had
completed an enormous feat by winning both the 1991 VRC Caulfield Cup
and Melbourne Cup. Winner of a total of eight Stakes races this big NZ
bred mare began a seven-race winning streak in the Turnbull Stakes, then
took the Mackinnon Stakes and both the Cups, and returned in the new
year for the Orr Stakes, the St George Stakes, and the Australian Cup.
THINK BIG
In 1974 Think Big ran down Leilani who was favourite on the day, to beat
her in the Melbourne Cup giving Bart his third quinella of this coveted
race. With not having won a race for an entire year Think Big took on
the Melbourne Cup again in 1975 and won it again over stablemate Holiday
Wagon.
LEILANI
Leilani was a champion racemare winning six Group 1 races including;
1974 AJC Oaks 2400m,
1974 VATC Caulfield Cup 2400m,
1974 VATC Toorak Handicap 1600m,
1974 VRC L.K.s Mackinnon Stakes 2000m,
1975 CF Orr Stakes 1400m and the
1975 VRC Australian Cup 2000m.
Leilani won a total of 12 Stakes races in her career and was inducted
into the Australian Hall Of Fame as the 1975 Australian Champion
Racehorse of the year.
DAYANA
Dayana was a winner of seven Stakes races from 1972 – 1975 and was named
horse of the year in the season of 1972 – 1973. He won a total of four
Derbies in 1972 alone and then the following year went on to win the
Perth Cup 3200m followed by the PARC Simsmetal Plate 2250m and the VRC
Duke Of Norfolk Stakes 3200m in 1975.
GALILEE
Galilee was a diverse galloper winning a total of 12 stakes races
ranging from 1600m – 3200m. He was of great service to Bart winning the
1966 Caulfield Cup, 1966 Melbourne Cup, 1997 Sydney Cup 1967 Queen
Elizabeth Stakes, 1968 Memsie Stakes and the 1968 Turnbull Stakes but to
name a few.
BART CUMMINGS
RACETRACK ACHIEVEMENTS
268 Group 1 Wins
Bart holds the record for the most number of Group 1 wins in a training season.
At the close of the 1974 -1975 racing season, Bart Cummings had trained the winners of 20 Group 1 races with ten different horses, such as Leilani, Cap d’Antibes, Think Big, Leica Show and Lord Dudley winning in five different states.
The races won include the Australian, Brisbane, Caulfield and Melbourne
Cups, the Goodwood, Newmarket and Toorak Handicaps, WATC & QLD
Derby’s, the VRC Oaks and the Flight and Mackinnon Stakes.
The variety of races won reflect the extensive training skills of the trainer.
12 Melbourne Cups
1965, 1966, 1967, 1974, 1975, 1977, 1979, 1990, 1991, 1996, 1999, 2008
Bart Cummings Melbourne Cup Runners Summary:
87 Runners: 12 Winners and 10 Placegetters
5 quinella’s
14% strike rate win
11% strike rate place
25% strike rate win & place
7 Caulfield Cups
1966, 1969, 1974, 1977, 1980, 1991, 2009
5 Cox Plates
1973, 1996, 1997, 2009, 2010
13 Australian Cups
1968, 1973, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1980, 1981, 1985, 1992, 1996, 1998, 2008
11 Mackinnon Stakes
1959, 1970, 1974, 1976, 1980, 1981, 1984, 1991, 1999, 2007, 2010
32 Derbies
1958 – 2010
(6 VRC, 5 AJC, 10 SAJC, 8 WATC, 4 QTC, 1 TRC)
24 Oaks
1964 – 2009
(9 VRC, 7 AJC, 6 SAJC, 1 QTC, 1 WATC)
4 Golden Slippers
1966, 1973, 1976, 1979
5 Doncaster Handicaps
1974, 1977, 1978, 1986, 1998
8 Newmarket Handicaps
1972, 1973, 1975, 1978, 1979, 1981, 1990, 1991
5 Caulfield Guineas
1966, 1974, 1996, 2005, 2006
5 Thousand Guineas
1963, 1989, 1991, 1996, 2001
16 Sires Produce Stakes
1966-1993
(AJC x 2, QTC x 1, SAJC x 8, VRC x 5)
7 Lightning Stakes
1967, 1974, 1975, 1977, 1978, 1986, 1991
6 Flight Stakes
1974, 1976, 1977, 1994, 1996,2012
4 Champion Stakes
1974, 1981, 1987, 1989
4 Stradbroke Handicaps
1988, 1989, 1993, 1997
16 St Ledgers
1965-2005
(SAJC x 8, AJC x 1, VRC x 7)
1 Crown Guineas
2010
1 Storm Queen Stakes
2010