Traffic Warden ready for The Everest assault

Trainer James Cummings says Traffic Warden is fine to represent Godolphin in The Everest after reporting to stewards the colt had been involved in a stable mishap.

Cummings reported to Racing NSW Stewards Traffic Warden had sustained minor abrasions to his hocks last Thursday.

“He took fright, slipped, got a scrape, it’s a long way from his heart,” Cummings said.

“He’s absolutely fine, but we’re just being on the front foot to do the right thing given the focus on the race.

“The vets will come on Monday, they’ll come on Friday, and I’ve been around long enough to know if they come and they see on Monday there’s a little bit of spray, they’ll say, ‘what’s this, why didn’t you tell us?

“He’s fresh and has worked beautifully and we’re delighted with him for next week.”

Traffic Warden enters Saturday’s $20 million race a fit, mature three-year-old.

He resumed his three-year-old season taking out the Group 2 Run To The Rose (1200m) at Rosehill on September 14 before finishing second to stablemate Broadsiding in the Group 1 Golden Rose (1400m) at Rosehill two weeks later.

That came off a long two-year-old campaign that started in Sydney in December ahead of a win at Caulfield prior to Christmas before Traffic Warden went on to compete competitively through the Sydney Autumn Carnival.

It included an unlucky fourth in the Group 1 Golden Slipper and a close second in the ATC Sires’ Produce Stakes.

“I love the fact that he hit the ground running this prep as a three-year-old,” Cummings said.

“His run in the Run To The Rose was excellent and it’s an excellent race as a projection for what a three-year-old might have got to offer.

“The horse flesh in the enclosure for the Run To The Rose was very impressive, and he was best on ground, so he’ll head to the Everest a mature three-year-old dropping to 53 kilos under the weight-for-age scale.

“Weight-for-age is weight-for-age, there’s no hiding in it, and he’s going to need to butter up against some tough horses.

“There is quite a number of mares in this year’s Everest, more than previously and an amalgamation of promising three-year-olds, of which he’s one of four, provided Storm Boy runs.

“I think he (Traffic Warden) is going to be a danger.”