Vegadaze beats Godolphin pair at Rosehill

Fitness and a liking for soft ground has carried Vegadaze to victory in the Star Kingdom Stakes.

Anthony Cummings has taken bragging rights over his son James in the Star Kingdom Stakes, with Vegadaze leading in a trifecta for the famous racing family in the Group Three race at Rosehill.

Ridden by in-form visiting English jockey Tom Marquand, the Anthony Cummings-trained Vegadaze capitalised on a race-fitness edge and showed tenacity to defeat the James Cummings-trained pair Manicure and Kementari in Saturday’s 1200m sprint.

“It was just nice to see a good horse doing really well and nicer to beat two nice horses in the ones that James prepared,” Anthony Cummings said.

“And things are what they should be.”

Vegadaze ($11) was dropping back in distance from an unplaced run over 1500m in the Group Two Ajax Stakes last start and on a soft track that grounding came in handy with the four-year-old gelding leading to beat Manicure ($7) by a short neck with Kementari ($5) another long neck away.

While Vegadaze was having the fifth run of his campaign, Manicure was first-up from a spell and Group One winner Kementari was racing for the first time in a year after a stud career was abandoned because of fertility issues.

“He’s got great determination,” Cummings said.

“We thought he’s handled wet tracks before and last time the heavy track and the 1500 was just beyond him unfortunately.

“Back within his comfort zone in terms of distance and on a testing track, finding out the first starters that was just a perfect recipe.”

Vegadaze notched his fifth win from 11 starts and it was his first at stakes level having twice finished runner-up in Group company in last year’s Hobartville Stakes (1400m) and the Liverpool City Cup (1300m) earlier this autumn.

It was the second win of the day for Marquand who earlier steered the Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained two-year-old colt Holyfield to victory in the Group Three Schweppervescence (1400m).

Cummings has pinpointed the Hall Mark Stakes at Randwick as the likely next target for Vegadaze.