Traffic flows smoothly into The Everest

Classy colt Traffic Warden has thrived over the past three weeks and is “ready to explode” in Saturday’s G1 The Everest at Royal Randwick.

Godolphin Australia head trainer James Cummings said the three-year-old had blossomed since his narrow second to star stablemate Broadsiding in the G1 Golden Rose 1,400m on 28 September and couldn’t be in better shape for the richest 1,200m sprint race in the world on turf.

“We could not have him any better, he’s been deliberately set for The Everest,” Cummings said.
“He’ll arrive ready to run one of the races of his preparation, third-up from a spell.
“It’s been all we could do to have his four feet on the ground, have the horse as fresh as we’ve got him and dropping back to six furlongs ready to explode.
“What we love about this horse is that we have not seen this horse fail to improve every time he’s gone to the track.
“He’s been like a bull at a gate, ready to run a big race.
“Jamie (Kah) was delighted with the way he galloped (Tuesday), said he felt terrific.
“I haven’t seen the horse go better.”

The Everest has assembled the best sprinters in the land and Traffic Warden must give age and experience to most of his rivals in the $20 million showcase.
But three-year-olds have a good record in the race’s seven-year history, with Yes Yes Yes winning in 2019 and Giga Kick saluting two years ago.

“Actually, three-year-olds have a good record in weight-for-age races this season,” Cummings explained.
“It’s a good pointer to see these three-year-olds competing strongly at weight-for-age, it gives us a lot of confidence.
“I like the entire set-up for him; he’s got the draw (2), he’s got the rider, Jamie has won on him before, two out of three on him, and was beaten narrowly in a 1,400m Sires’.
“On the strength of those preps, with a seven-furlong run under his belt, we take him to The Everest in perfect shape for this contest.
“Any horse dropping back from seven furlongs to The Everest has done well; we did it ourselves with Osborne Bulls (third).
“But there’s no doubt Traffic Warden has to go somewhere he’s never been before.
“When it comes down to it, Traffic Warden is going to need to go to that next level.
“He’s going to need to go there and he needs to run his heart out.
“From what we’ve seen so far heading into The Everest, all the signs we’ve seen from Traffic Warden is that he’s responding to the program we set and he could peak on the day.”

Stablemates Pericles (Zac Lloyd) and Tom Kitten (Kah) also travel to Randwick with good credentials for the G1 King Charles III Stakes over 1,600m.
Pericles backs up and drops back in distance after a below-par fourth in the G2 Hill Stakes at Rosehill last weekend over 1,900m, while Tom Kitten returns to the mile after an unlucky second in the G1 Epsom two weeks ago.

“I like the idea of switching things up with Pericles,” Cummings said.
“He ran a race last weekend like he was just going through the motions, so a back-up this weekend might just be the thing to spark that horse back up.
“There’s something interesting about bringing the horse back to the course at Randwick where he holds his PB, a second in the Doncaster back in April.
“He’ll be rock-hard fit after the Hill Stakes, he came into that Hill Stakes like he was ready to go on and fight the race out.
“He put four lengths on Attrition in the So You Think Stakes three starts ago, but he just could not reproduce that over 1,900m last week.
“He’s going to get a perfect run in the race.

“Tom Kitten’s got a bit of a task from the draw (12), however I love the way he’s building his preparation.
“The effort to run second in the Epsom was outstanding, I did feel that if Tommy Berry could steer him into a place in the Epsom I’d be delighted.
“Jamie will take over and Tom Kitten looks like getting the strongest-run race for 12 months, since he won the Spring Champion Stakes.
“He thrived in a strongly run race in that G1 and I’d like to see him enjoy the same on the weekend.”

Cummings won’t be in Melbourne to watch his wonderful four-year-old mare Zardozi tackle the G1 Caulfield Cup, but is comfortable in the fact she’s back in her 2,400m “hitting zone” after being hampered and then only edged out in the G1 The Metropolitan last start.

“There’s no doubt she’s the most promising young stayer in our stable and our only nomination in the Melbourne Cup,” Cummings said.
“Dropping back in the handicaps (51kg) really suits Zardozi beautifully.
“She’s not a big mare but what she lacks in stride length she makes up for in heart.
“She’s going to need a bit of heart if she’s going to overcome some of these tougher, more-seasoned imported European stayers.
“She’s a home-grown beauty of ours, a VRC Oaks (2,500m) winner 12 months ago, a narrow second in the ATC Oaks 2,400m in April.
“We are justifiably nervous about her chances of winning on Saturday because her preparation has gone beautifully with that run over a mile-and-a-half under her belt in The Metropolitan.
“She meets Land Legend 3kg better at the weights, so it’s all aligning beautifully for her to look pretty good in the lead-up to the challenge this year.”

Cummings has booked Hong Kong-based Italian jockey Andrea Atzeni to rider Zardozi after admiring his skills at Randwick back in the autumn.

“We watched him win the Sydney Cup on Circle Of Fire and he’s won an Ebor (York, England),” Cummings said.
“He doesn’t get many opportunities in staying races in Hong Kong, given they don’t have many staying races.
“With his international experience and his success in the Godolphin silks, there’s a lot to be said for him flying in on the day and for him crossing the line first on Zardozi.
“A rider with soft hands who has the European riding style, who could suit a horse like her, could be a bit of a weapon.
“He’s a wonderful rider who can ride light.”

Atzeni will also ride Cummings’ three-year-old filly Zeitung in the G2 Thousand Guineas Prelude over 1,400m, with Ben Melham partnering Tarpaulin in the Listed Gothic Stakes 1,200m, and visiting Brazilian jockey Joao Moreira teaming with Spacewalk first-up in the G2 Millennium Sprint over 1,000m.

“I thought Tarpualin’s run was full of merit in the Danehill,” Cummings said.
“He can run well from a nice draw and he would also be looking forward to getting his toe into the track.
“Zeitung ran a huge race at Moonee Valley last time, drew off the track and therefore had a lot to do turning for home.
“She was sectionally brilliant but the step up to seven furlongs is experimental.
“She’s come through all the tough races, has good form behind her.

“Spacewalk, at his best, he’s something of a chance here.
“I did have him entered at Flemington a few weeks ago, but he came down with a temperature leading up to that race.
“He had a little jump-out at Flemington and that got his fitness back up to where he needs to be.
“He had a little look around Caulfield during the week and he was beautiful in a piece of work there.”

Meanwhile, Cummings floated Broadsiding to The Valley early on Thursday as the colt prepares for the G1 Cox Plate 2,040m on 26 September.
“We only took him there for an easy canter around the course,” the trainer said.
“He pulled up enormous from the Caulfield Guineas (fourth) and loved his day out this morning.
“Broadsiding was very happy and Jamie (Kah) was very happy with the way he felt, which was no surprise to us as he pulled up so well after last weekend.
“He’s come out of that race with plenty of stored energy and that’s want we bank on heading into the Cox Plate.
“He’s had the bridging run he needed to have, he brings stored energy out of that weekend and he can be like other talented three-year-olds who haven’t quite won the Caulfield Guineas.
“Those horses can still be factors for the Cox Plate and he fits that description.”