Cummings side-steps 2024 Victoria Derby with star colt

Broadsiding will not be a starter in Saturday’s $2 million Group 1 Victoria Derby with James Cummings and Godolphin electing to target a Stakes Day option with their three-time Group 1 winner.

The son of Too Darn Hot emerged as a possible Derby starter in the 24 hours after his third placing in last Saturday’s Cox Plate and while Cummings is adamant he was a winning chance, he questioned whether the 2500-metre event was the right option for the colt who will one day stand at stud in Australia for Sheikh Mohammed.

“The stallion business is an interesting one and breeders really dictate where horses of his nature tend to race,” Cummings said of the Champagne Stakes, JJ Atkins and Golden Rose winner.

“I’d have loved for us to have run the horse in the Derby, but considerations do have to be made for the horse’s prospects at stud in his next life.

“For that reason, the horse is going to refrain from running over a mile-and-a-half, which is a shame for him because I really think could have won the race.

“That’s something we’ll never know – for this year, for this VRC Derby – but he is bursting to run again and he’d be nevertheless well-placed in the one of the weight-for-age races on the final day.

“We might be leaning towards the Champions Stakes at the moment, but he could easily run I the Champions Mile as well and we’ll look at both of those options.”

The Champions Mile and Champions Stakes, both Group 1 events worth $3 million, will be run over 1600m and 2000m respectively at Flemington on Saturday, November 9.

Broadsiding’s absence from the nominations, which closed at midday Monday, was no doubt a relief to the other horses targetting the Derby with 24 remaining in the running for the traditional feature of the first day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival.

Last Saturday’s Group 1 Spring Champion Stakes quinella of El Castello and Henlein were among the entries, along with one-time favourite Keeneland, Geelong Classic winner Saint Emilion and Moonee Valley Vase trifecta Red Aces, Opening Address and King Of Thunder.