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By Ray Hickson

It’ll be no small achievement for outgoing Godolphin trainer James Cummings to turn Tarpaulin’s fortunes around at Randwick on Saturday after he let punters down first-up.

Trainer James Cummings (Pic: Bradley Photos).

The three-year-old refused to settle for Rachel King when a $1.85 favourite, tossing his head around, and by the time he’d loomed up early in the straight he’d spent his energy.

That was three weeks ago and Cummings said on SEN going into the ATC Thank You Trainers Handicap (1100m) he’s taken the gelding back to school and sees an opportunity to bounce back with a light weight, a gear change, and barrier one.

“We tried to mix it up with Tarpaulin and just take that little bit of fire out of him,’’ he said.

“He could probably get away with still going a little strong within himself with the very light weight and still fire. The cosy draw is in his favour, he doesn’t need to be asked from the draw.

“Zac Lloyd has had a good feel for him in the past so he’ll be comfortable in the saddle to know what it takes to get the best out of Tarpaulin.”

His last win was at the corresponding meeting a year ago where he revelled in heavy ground to win the two-year-old event.

With Lloyd riding at 52.5kg Tarpaulin, $4.40 with TAB on Thursday, will meet Storm The Ramparts 4kg better for an over 3-1/2 length defeat at Rosehill but Cummings said it comes down to how the horse behaves.

To assist on that score Cummings has called for a rarely used (in races) gear change by adding ear muffs to the gelding, which the trainer feels did the job well enough in his Tuesday morning trial.

“He does look well, he had a good trial and pulled up like a fit horse,’’ he said.

“He was strong on the bridle but he did it in a nice fashion.

“I like the lead up he’s had, he’s not going to cover unnecessary territory from barrier one. He just needs to get the luck at the right time.”

Honest mare Drift Net rarely finds herself out of the placings and Cummings has kept her fresh for the Marcellin College Randwick Handicap (1300m).

It’s been six weeks since her last run, third behind Sacred Rocks over the same trip at Rosehill, and was sent around in a Hawkesbury trial earlier this month that produced midweek winners Amreekiyah and Metaphorically.

Cummings hopes Kerrin McEvoy can produce a similar ride to when the mare scored back in May.

“It’d be good to get her in a nice flowing race,’’ he said.

“With the positive draw it gives her every opportunity to win again this prep like she did second-up back in May when Kerrin rode her at Warwick Farm.

Tarpaulin's trial at Randwick on July 22

“I think the draw is advantageous, I love the distance of 1300m for Drift Net and fresh between runs has proved to be a good recipe for her in the past. She could run very well.”

Cummings, seven wins shy of 1500 winners, finishes with Godolphin at the end of the season and will prepare to commence training in Hong Kong next year.

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday’s Randwick meeting