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- bookielover December 2013
- DamienWyer December 2013
- hash December 2013
- HenleyBrook December 2013
- PC December 2013
- PuntingTragic December 2013
- SLIPPERGOLDEN December 2013
- SPUDLEY December 2013
- TheDiva December 2013
- thefalcon December 2013
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- tony December 2013
- trojanhorse December 2013
BART SPLITS WITH JAMES
East Coast Racing
SPUDLEY
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FOUR months after it was made official by Australian racing authorities, the training partnership between living legend Bart Cummings and his grandson James is verging on being over.
Formally approved by Racing NSW's licensing department in time for the start of the 2013-14 racing season on August 1, the business venture between the pair will cease on December 31.
The most successful Australian trainer alive, with 266 Group I winners, is expected to continue training, with speculation that he will prepare a team from his property in the Hawkesbury.
At 86, Cummings lives with his ailing wife, Valmae, at Prince's Farm at Castlereagh, 65km west of Sydney. James, eldest son of Bart's son Anthony, has spent the past four years being schooled in the art of training by the master.
When he spoke to The Australian yesterday, Bart Cummings would not confirm, in as many words, that there had been a breakdown in the business relationship with the 25-year-old.
"There have been no discussions at this stage. It's confidential," Cummings said.
However, The Australian understands the arrangement was not working out as the 12-time Melbourne Cup-winning trainer had envisaged.
"Young fellows get swelled heads, big eyes and take a lot of controlling," Cummings said.
A confident young man, stamped with the Cummings wit and with an enormous regard for his grandfather and what he has achieved, James has not had to try hard to ruffle the feathers of stable stalwarts that have served Bart loyally -- and they have not warmed to the shots being called by the heir apparent.
The trouble began to escalate after the spring carnival, during which the partnersip enjoyed Group II and Group III successes with veteran stayer Precedence -- which Bart is still dark about not making the Melbourne Cup field.
James went on holiday for three weeks. Engaged to be married to Monica Barrera, he and his fiancee travelled to Manila to see her parents and to Canada to visit her grandparents. Her grandfather is Eduardo Cojuangco Jr, chairman of San Miguel Corporation, the largest food and beverage producer in The Philippines.
Barrera is her grandfather's racing manager, his racehorses coming under the Gooree banner and spread among trainers including Gai Waterhouse, John O'Shea and Anthony Cummings.
James's holiday, a matter of weeks after proposing to his partner in life, was understood to have been viewed unfavourably by his partner in business. It didn't go down well with some of the long-serving team members, who felt it was too soon to have a break, especially with a stable shift imminent.
Bart, James and Anthony Cummings were due to come together under one stable roof at Flemington any day now. Bart sold his off-track stable complex mid-year and the Victoria Racing Club built on-site stables for 16 horses to guarantee Cummings continued to have a presence at his Melbourne headquarters. Anthony had too many boxes and not enough horses in his Melbourne team based at Caulfield and James suggested he join them at the new Flemington site to share the costs. Each has separate and busy stable blocks in Sydney at Randwick.
Father time is catching up with Bart, but his knowledge and understanding of the thoroughbred is unparalleled. Matched with the intelligent and well presented young man, it would be fair to assume the Cummings' stocks might have soared with time.
Attempts to reach James Cummings yesterday failed.
- See more at: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/turf-thoroughbreds/young-fellas-get-swelled-heads-cummings-racing-partnership-to-end/story-fnajufri-1226774612509#sthash.J8i5btl6.dpufRIO, Brubaker likes this post.
thefalcon likes this post.
Falc young Jimmy has his dick in a money pit with no bottom.
My old man is 75 now and he has been a trainer for many years but unfortunately the old boys still use the "old school" methods which have worked a treat for them for decades, however the face of racing is forever evolving and like any sport, new supplements and training methods have surfaced. convincing the old boys to try these sorts of things is like trying to sell snow to an eskimo.... You just don't go there ... you just end up having argument after argument. Lots of people on this forum can reflect on this from being involved in family stables... there are blues normally every day ;).
You are right @Damien Wyer - I'd hate to be a TVN reporter interviewing Bart... :-??
lame, TheFunkster likes this post.
bart and joe... :-@
they have been best pals for decades. james must have pharqued up big time..remember blood is thicker than water.
:))
HenleyBrook likes this post.
TheDiva, RIO, Darkhorse, bookielover likes this post.
Andrew Bensley has reported that James will continue to be based at Randwick and will be in regular contact with Bart who is now based at Princes Farm.
hash likes this post.
"""Separate 'houses' have helped many a relationship""""
Yep and seprarate countries are even better Lol
Legless, curlywave likes this post.