Bart Cummings
Encyclopedia
James Bartholomew 'Bart' Cummings, AM
Order of Australia
The Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...

 (born 14 November 1927) is one of the most successful Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...

n racehorse
Horse racing
Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...

 trainer
Horse trainer
In horse racing, a trainer prepares a horse for races, with responsibility for exercising it, getting it race-ready and determining which races it should enter...

s. He is known as the Cups King, referring to the Melbourne Cup
Melbourne Cup
The Melbourne Cup is Australia's major Thoroughbred horse race. Marketed as "the race that stops a nation", it is a 3,200 metre race for three-year-olds and over. It is the richest "two-mile" handicap in the world, and one of the richest turf races...

, as the he has won the 'race that stops a nation' a record 12 times.

Early life

Cummings was born in 1927, the son of the accomplished trainer Jim Cummings, who trained the great stayer Comic Court
Comic Court
Comic Court was a most versatile post-war Australian bred Thoroughbred racehorse who set race records at distances of 6 furlongs and 2 miles...

 to a win in the 1950 Melbourne Cup. He started his career working for his father as a strapper
Strapper
A strapper is a British English term for a person holding a position looking after racehorses. The duties range from cleaning out the stables and yards, feeding, grooming and rugging horses, plus saddling horses for track-work and races, hence the name...

, despite being allergic
Allergy
An Allergy is a hypersensitivity disorder of the immune system. Allergic reactions occur when a person's immune system reacts to normally harmless substances in the environment. A substance that causes a reaction is called an allergen. These reactions are acquired, predictable, and rapid...

 to hay
Hay
Hay is grass, legumes or other herbaceous plants that have been cut, dried, and stored for use as animal fodder, particularly for grazing livestock such as cattle, horses, goats, and sheep. Hay is also fed to pets such as rabbits and guinea pigs...

.

Training career

Cummings received his trainer licence in 1953, and set up stables at Glenelg
Glenelg, South Australia
Glenelg is a popular beach-side suburb of the South Australian capital of Adelaide. Located on the shore of Holdfast Bay in Gulf St Vincent, it has become a popular tourist destination due to its beach and many attractions, home to several hotels and dozens of restaurants.Established in 1836, it is...

 in South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...

. His first significant win came in 1958, when he won the South Australian Derby
South Australian Derby
The South Australian Derby is an Australian Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race for three year olds, at set weights, held at Morphettville Racecourse in Adelaide.It is run each year in April. Before 2006 it was held in May...

, the same year he bought his first yearling.

Cummings had a record total of 78 runners in the Melbourne Cup at the time of writing. Starting in 1958 with Asian Court who finished 12th behind Baystone. His next entrant was Trellios who fronted up in 1959 and finished 5th behind MacDougal. In 1960, Sometime finished in 6th place. It wasn't until 1965 that he hit the big time. With 3 runners in the Melbourne Cup, he finished first with Light Fingers, second with Ziema, and his other runner, The Dip finished 18th.

Cummings won his first Trainer's Premiership in the 1965-1966 season. Not only did he achieve his first Melbourne Cup victory that year, but he also won the Adelaide
Adelaide Cup
The Adelaide Cup is a SAJC Group 2 Thoroughbred horse race held in South Australia. It is handicap race run over 3,200 metres at Morphettville Racecourse in Adelaide Australia. Total prize money for the race is A$400,000....

, Caulfield
Caulfield Cup
The Caulfield Cup, one of Australia's richest Thoroughbred horse races and the richest of its type in the world is held annually by the Melbourne Racing Club. The race is a handicap like the Melbourne Cup, which means that horses that compete in the Caulfield Cup are capable of running on the...

, Sandown
Sandown Classic
The Zipping Classic, formerly the Sandown Classic, is a Melbourne Racing Club Group 2 Australian Thoroughbred horse race held under weight for age conditions, for horses aged three years old and upwards, over a distance of 2400 metres. It is held at Sandown Racecourse in Melbourne in November...

, Sydney
Sydney Cup
The Sydney Cup is an Australian horse race, held for Thoroughbred horses and run over 3200 metres. It is run every year at Randwick Racecourse in Sydney, New South Wales in April/May...

, Brisbane
Brisbane Cup
The Brisbane Cup is a Group 2 Australian Thoroughbred horse race for three year olds and upwards, run under handicap conditions over a distance of 2400 metres at Eagle Farm Racecourse, Brisbane in June...

 and Queen's cups.

In 1968, Cummings opened stable
Stable
A stable is a building in which livestock, especially horses, are kept. It most commonly means a building that is divided into separate stalls for individual animals...

s, now called Saintly Lodge, at Flemington
Flemington, Victoria
Flemington is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, situated between the Maribyrnong River and Moonee Ponds Creek 4 km north-west from Melbourne's central business district. It was named by settler James Watson after Flemington estate in Scotland. Its Local Government Areas are the...

 in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...

, home of the Flemington Racecourse
Flemington Racecourse
Flemington Racecourse is a major horse racing venue located in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It is most notable for hosting the Melbourne Cup, which is Australia's richest horse race. The racecourse is situated on low alluvial flats, next to the Maribyrnong River...

. Later that year, he won the Trainer's Premiership in both Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....

 and South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...

, a feat which he would replicate in the 1969 and 1970 seasons.

In 1969, the favourite for the Melbourne Cup was Cummings' horse Big Philou
Big Philou
Big Philou was a notable New Zealand bred Thoroughbred racehorse. He was by the good sire Le Filou from Pink Lady by Contact and he was trained by Bart Cummings....

, which had already won the Caulfield Cup
Caulfield Cup
The Caulfield Cup, one of Australia's richest Thoroughbred horse races and the richest of its type in the world is held annually by the Melbourne Racing Club. The race is a handicap like the Melbourne Cup, which means that horses that compete in the Caulfield Cup are capable of running on the...

. However, the horse was drugged illicitly with a large dose of laxative
Laxative
Laxatives are foods, compounds, or drugs taken to induce bowel movements or to loosen the stool, most often taken to treat constipation. Certain stimulant, lubricant, and saline laxatives are used to evacuate the colon for rectal and/or bowel examinations, and may be supplemented by enemas under...

 the night before the race and was unable to compete.

In 1975, Cummings moved his operations to a new facility near Randwick Racecourse
Randwick Racecourse
Royal Randwick Racecourse is a racecourse for horseracing in the Eastern Suburbs in Sydney, New South Wales. Randwick Racecourse, is operated by the Australian Jockey Club and known to many Sydney racegoers as headquarters...

 in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...

, called 'Leilani Lodge'.

In the late 1980s, Cummings spent millions of dollars
Aud
Aud might refer to*Australian dollar *Ambedkar University, Delhi *American University in Dubai *Doctor of Audiology *Auðr, the son of Nótt and Naglfari in Norse mythology...

 purchasing racehorses, much of the money spent on behalf of a tax
Tax
To tax is to impose a financial charge or other levy upon a taxpayer by a state or the functional equivalent of a state such that failure to pay is punishable by law. Taxes are also imposed by many subnational entities...

 minimization syndicate. Unfortunately, like many other trainers Cummings was hit hard by the recession
Recession
In economics, a recession is a business cycle contraction, a general slowdown in economic activity. During recessions, many macroeconomic indicators vary in a similar way...

 of the early 1990s. With help from Reg Inglis' organization, however, he was able to avoid bankruptcy
Bankruptcy
Bankruptcy is a legal status of an insolvent person or an organisation, that is, one that cannot repay the debts owed to creditors. In most jurisdictions bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debtor....

 and continue training.

On 11 December 1991, Bart Cummings was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame. He was also an inaugural inductee into the Australian Racing Hall of Fame. He was made a member of the Order of Australia
Order of Australia
The Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...

 in 1982 for his services to the racing industry. In 2007, Australia Post
Australia Post
Australia Post is the trading name of the Australian Government-owned Australian Postal Corporation .-History:...

 placed his image on a postage stamp as part of its Australian Legends series.

Cummings' most recent Melbourne Cup winner is Viewed
Viewed
Viewed was an Australian Thoroughbred racehorse who won the 148th Melbourne Cup on 4 November 2008. Prior to the Cup, Viewed won the AJC JRA Plate and qualified by winning the Brisbane Cup on 9 June 2008....

 in 2008 race
2008 Melbourne Cup
The 2008 Melbourne Cup, the 148th running of Australia's most prestigious Thoroughbred horse race, was run on Tuesday, November 4, 2008, starting at 3:00 pm local time ....

, when the horse beat Bauer in a photo finish. This was his 12th Melbourne Cup victory on the 50th anniversary of the day when he entered his first Cup runner.

So far, Cummings has achieved 264 Group 1 victories. and more than 746 stakes victories, with his latest stakes win in the Listed Ethereal Stakes with Gliding.. In addition to his 12 Melbourne Cups, he has won the Caulfield Cup
Caulfield Cup
The Caulfield Cup, one of Australia's richest Thoroughbred horse races and the richest of its type in the world is held annually by the Melbourne Racing Club. The race is a handicap like the Melbourne Cup, which means that horses that compete in the Caulfield Cup are capable of running on the...

 seven times, the Golden Slipper Stakes four times, the Cox Plate
Cox Plate
The W.S. Cox Plate is an Australian Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race held in Melbourne every October by the Moonee Valley Racing Club to honour W.S. Cox, the club's founder. For three-year-olds and over, the race is considered to be the Weight for Age championship of Australasia...

 five times, the VRC Oaks
VRC Oaks
The Crown Oaks , is the third day of the Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival at Flemington Racecourse. Oaks Day is held on the Thursday directly following Melbourne Cup Day...

 nine times and the Newmarket Handicap
Newmarket Handicap
The Newmarket Handicap is a VRC Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race held at Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne, Australia. The event is an open handicap race over 1200 metres...

 eight times.

Honours

In May 2008 Racing NSW announced a new horse racing award to be known as The Bart Cummings Medal which will be awarded for 'consistent, outstanding performances amongst jockeys and trainers at New South Wales metropolitan race meetings through the racing season.'

Melbourne Cup winners

Cummings has won twelve Melbourne Cups with eleven horses:
  • Light Fingers
    Light Fingers
    Light Fingers was a New Zealand bred thoroughbred racehorse who won the Melbourne Cup in 1965.The lightly built chestnut was by the highly successful sire of stayers, Le Filou, from Cuddlesome by Red Mars , by Hyperion...

     (1965)
  • Galilee
    Galilee (horse)
    Galilee, was a bay Thoroughbred gelding who was foaled in 1963 at Trelawney Stud, Cambridge, New Zealand. He later became one of the most successful racehorses in Australia. Galilee was sired by the very good racehorse and sire, Alcimedes*, from the mare Galston by Balloch*...

     (1966)
  • Red Handed
    Red Handed
    Red Handed was a thoroughbred racehorse who won the Melbourne Cup in 1967.Bred by Jack Macky, Jr., he was owned and raced by F. W. Clarke and partners.-References:*...

     (1967)
  • Think Big
    Think Big (horse)
    Think Big was a Thoroughbred racehorse who raced in Australia, winning the Melbourne Cup in both 1974 and 1975. Bred by the estate of the late L. A...

     (1974 & 1975)
  • Gold and Black
    Gold and Black
    Gold and Black was a New Zealand racehorse, ridden by Johnny Duggan who won the 1977 Melbourne Cup for the "Cups King" Bart Cummings....

     (1977)
  • Hyperno
    Hyperno
    Hyperno was a Thoroughbred racehorse foaled in New Zealand. He was a wayward but brilliant galloper that won the Melbourne Cup and other group and listed races....

     (1979)
  • Kingston Rule
    Kingston Rule
    Kingston Rule is an American-bred racehorse who raced in Australia where he won the 1990 Melbourne Cup in a record time of 3:16:3. This time still stands as the record today....

     (1990)
  • Let's Elope
    Let's Elope
    Let's Elope is a Champion Thoroughbred racehorse in Australia.Bred by Highview Stud in Hamilton, New Zealand, Let's Elope was a giant chestnut mare who in 1991 became the first mare in more than 50 years to complete Australia's famed Caulfield Cup - Melbourne Cup double...

     (1991)
  • Saintly
    Saintly
    Saintly was an Australian Thoroughbred racehorse who was named Australia's champion racehorse in 1997. A giant chestnut gelding by Sky Chase out of All Grace , he was bred by his trainer, Bart Cummings, who owned him in partnership with a Malaysian businessman, Dato Tan Chin Nam.Saintly gained...

     (1996)
  • Rogan Josh
    Rogan Josh (horse)
    Rogan Josh is an Australian Thoroughbred racehorse, who won the 1999 Melbourne Cup when ridden by John Marshall for the trainer Bart Cummings.Rogan Josh was purchased for $13,000 by owner Wendy Green and began his racing career in Western Australia...

     (1999)
  • Viewed
    Viewed
    Viewed was an Australian Thoroughbred racehorse who won the 148th Melbourne Cup on 4 November 2008. Prior to the Cup, Viewed won the AJC JRA Plate and qualified by winning the Brisbane Cup on 9 June 2008....

     (2008)


Cummings' Melbourne Cup trophies are on display at the Australian Racing Museum
Australian Racing Museum
The Australian Racing Museum is a horse racing museum in Melbourne, Australia dedicated to Thoroughbred horses, jockeys and trainers.It was first set up at Caulfield Racecourse in 1981 and closed on 30 August 2003. It then moved to Federation Square on Flinders Street. In October 2010 the museum...

 in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...

.

In 1965, 1966, 1974, 1975, and 1991, Cummings trained both the first and second place winners in the Melbourne Cup.

External links

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