Racing: Cummings maps route to Melbourne for Precedence

Bart Cummings. Photo / Janna Dixon

Meticulous planning has won Bart Cummings 12 Melbourne Cups and preparations are well in hand for number 13 with Precedence.

The gelding is already back in residence at Cummings' Melbourne stable and the legendary trainer rates him his leading contender for this year's race.

After his eighth in last year's Cup, Precedence had a three-start autumn campaign which ended with an unlucky fifth in the Australian Cup won by Shocking in March.

The Cummings' plan centres around the welfare of his horses and he believes stable life is better for them at this time of year than the paddock.

"Precedence has been back at Saintly Place for a few weeks now," Cummings said yesterday.

"I bring the spring horses back in mid-May, I've done it that way for three decades.

"When it gets cold you've got to look after them. By being in the stable they can be rugged during the day and boxed at night."

A son of Zabeel who are notable slow maturers, Precedence will be a six-year-old in the spring.

He races in the famous black and white checked colours of Dato Tan Chin Nam, who races him in partnership with Cambridge Stud proprietor Sir Patrick Hogan and the Dowager Duchess of Bedford.

Although he has yet to win a group one race and has been a bit of a problem child during his 27 start career, Cummings rates Precedence highly.

His wins in the group three JRA Plate and group two Moonee Valley Gold Cup last spring were indicative of his ability.

After a lacklustre 2010 spring, the highly-strung Precedence was gelded which has helped stifle his pre-race nerves and waywardness during races.

Not one to try to fix something that isn't broken, Cummings says Precedence will follow the same path to the Cup that has been successful in the past.

"He will start out around the middle of August in a six furlong (1200m) race and then step up to 1400 or 1600 and onwards from there," he said.

"It will be the same programme I've used many times before."

Precedence is at $51 with other markets to be released early in of September after nominations.

- AAP