UNDER THE RADAR
He’s our second best horse and trained by a Cummings so how is he flying ...
TWO-TIME Group 1 winner Hartnell is the forgotten horse of the Melbourne Cup but don’t underestimate the Cummings factor to get him home tomorrow.
Hartnell is trained by James Cummings, the grandson of the legendary Bart Cummings who earned the nickname of The Cup King with 12 wins in the race.
Hartnell was rated the second best galloper in the country behind all-time great Winx when the spring carnival began but most punters have been looking elsewhere.
The seven-year-old has run second twice, behind Cup favourite Humidor ($8.50) in the Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) and Bonneval in the Underwood Stakes (1800m), before a muddling ninth of just 11 runners in the Caulfield Stakes (2000m) on October 14.
Cummings resisted the temptation to squeeze in another run for Hartnell, who carries the top weight of 57.5kg tomorrow.
The fresh factor could have been the reason behind a big bet of $2500 at $26 on Hartnell last Thursday. That followed an $5000 each-way outlay on August 30 for an $85,000 collect should he salute.
Cummings pointed to Hartnell’s last win over 3200m at Ascot in the UK after a six-week break in 2014, as enough to give the stable a “positive feeling” about his chances.
“He’s been racing a bit like a handicapper at his last couple of starts and the form around him is very strong,” he said.
“The form from the Makybe Diva Stakes and the Underwood Stakes and Caulfield Stakes in which he’s run well has been the best of the spring.
“Humidor showed that with his run behind Winx in the Cox Plate that it’s as good a form reference as you’ll find.
“So there’s a lot to like about how Hartnell has been coming through.”