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By Ray Hickson

It takes an exceptional three-year-old to knock over the older horses in the Group 1 $1.5m Schweppes All Aged Stakes (1400m) and trainer James Cummings says Broadsiding has the necessary ability to end his autumn on another high.

Trainer James Cummings (Pic: Bradley Photos)

The decision to freshen the colt from his gritty Group 1 Rosehill Guineas win, where he held off Aeliana over the 2000m, is a vote of confidence from Cummings that he’s versatile enough to cope and, importantly, that he has another big run in the tank.

Just two years ago Everest winner Giga Kick claimed the race as a three-year-old while prior to him star colt Trapeze Artist (2018) got the job done.

“He’s freshened up beautifully, I’ve loved the look of the horse this week,” Cummings said.

“He produced a knockout gallop during the week, and he seems to us to be perfectly ready for this assignment at the weekend.

“I do suspect he’s ready to run the best race of his campaign.

“The draw that James McDonald has been fortunate enough to receive in barrier three is favourable.

“I can see the horse enjoying a good run in the race and he’s got an enviable record at 1400m.”

Broadsiding, $6.50 with TAB on Thursday, started his campaign with an impressive win in the Hobartville Stakes over the 1400m, he won the Golden Rose fresh as well, and arguably he’s been at his best in the 1400m to a mile range.

He won the Champagne Stakes at this meeting last year, defeating Linebacker, and he has the experience of a couple of runs, including his Cox Plate third, against older horses from the spring.

“I think the horse will be right in his comfort zone and it would be good to see him draw from the experience he had last preparation in those weight-for-age contests,” Cummings said.

“It doesn’t get any harder than the Cox Plate, the cauldron of the Cox Plate that he encountered last year.

“He’s going to get another chance against these experienced, tough horses coming from their own respective weight-for-age events.

“He’s bringing some of the best of the three-year-old form, we just keep seeing the form franked from behind Broadsiding, which is no less encouraging.”

Cummings and McDonald combined to win the All Aged Stakes three years ago with warhorse Cascadian.

While Broadsiding has been freshened to come back to 1400m, Cummings said three-year-old filly Zeitung is now ready to step up to that trip in the Group 3 $250,000 Mostyncopper James H B Carr Stakes (1400m).

Zeitung had a month between runs before her eye-catching fifth, beaten a length, in the PJ Bell two weeks ago where fortune didn’t always favour her.

“I think the preparation for this has been quite nice,” he said.

“She was cut out at a vital stage in the PJ Bell and she’s not big enough to carry them.

“We won’t look back and just be grateful if she can get a nice clean run through them this time.”

The filly ran the fastest last 600m in that race, 33.07 (Punter’s Intelligence), as she made ground from last in the early stages.

She’s already a winner at 1400m from back in the spring so there’s no concerns on that score from the Godolphin trainer.

Zeitung runs fifth at Randwick on April 5

“Third-up here, the fresh horse on the scene, she’s quite bright and ready to run a race,” he said.

“I think back to the way we had her in the lead-up to her win in the Vanity during Cup week and we’ve got her in quite similar condition.

“This step up to seven furlongs is nice and she’s run a few good races over seven furlongs to suggest she can be in the hunt here.”

All the fields, form and replays for All Aged Stakes Day at Randwick