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SYDNEY - Anthony Cummings has called on Victorian racing officials to rethink the rule which prohibits trainers from accepting with a horse for more than one race on the same programme.
The Sydney trainer, whose Randwick stable remains in lockdown due to the EI crisis, was fortunate to have sent a small team to his Melbourne base before the viral outbreak.
Among them was Cups hope Red Lord who has been nominated for both the weight-for-age group one Underwood Stakes (1800m) and listed Naturalism Stakes (2000m) at Caulfield on Saturday.
Cummings' preference is to start the gelding in the latter but Red Lord is only 23rd in order of entry and no certainty to get a run in the field of 16 and four emergencies.
He is 18th in ballot order for the Underwood which is also limited to a starting line up of 16, with acceptances due tomorrow.
Cummings would like to pay up for Red Lord for both races and run him in the Naturalism if he secured a start, or the Underwood if he didn't.
But under Racing Victoria's local rules that is not possible.
"In Melbourne you're not allowed to accept for two races so you've got to decide to run in one race or the other," Cummings said.
"You can't have two bites of the cherry and I think it's got to be looked at.
"We'd prefer to run in the Naturalism but you don't get to see whether you get a run in it or not.
"We'll probably miss the weight-for-age race and take the odds to getting a run in the Naturalism. If we don't we'll wait for Moonee Valley the following week."
Cummings also has four-year-old Maslins Beach entered for both the Underwood and the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m) and said he was leaning towards the longer race.
- AAP
