THE AMAZING MR CUMMINGS

By Graham Potter | Wednesday, September 2, 2015

The amazing Mr Cummings epitomised everything that was good about ‘old school.’

He was always the gentleman, always obliging, always ready with an understated one-liner to confirm he was not taking himself, or those around him, too seriously.

And in moments of triumph, his dignified approach to success merely underlined his inherent humbleness, a trait which only served to heighten the level of respect in which he was held.

Perhaps it was that Mr Cummings was seldom surprised when he pulled off a major training feat, given the thought, time and effort that he put into producing his winners. If ever a trainer put experience to good use, it was Mr Cummings.

To him it was a thinking man’s game and he was a deep thinker.

Mr Cummings had the character you need to survive long-term in racing. He was unflappable. His outward calmness, his ability to keep his feet on the ground and not float off on a high when things were going well or drop to his knees in the face of adversity is a strength whose value and never be exaggerated.

He rode the ups and downs of racing as well as anybody in the game.

The road he followed from being in the winners’ enclosure as a strapper for the 1950 Melbourne Cup winner Comic Court, who was trained by his father, to saddling his twelfth Melbourne Cup winner as a trainer in his own right in the form of Viewed in 2008 has been a memorable one to not only the Cummings family, but to the fans who have cheered home the Cup’s King in an honour roll that follows Light Fingers, Galilee, Red Handed, Thing Big (twice), Gold And Black, Hyperno, Kingston Rule, Let’s Elope, Saintly, Rogan Josh and Viewed into the record books.

There are plenty of memories to embrace in those and other results. Cummings has 268 Group 1 winners behind his name. Apart from his twelve Melbourne Cup victories there were seven Caulfield Cup wins, five Cox Plates, four Golden Slippers, 13 Australian Cups and no less than 32 Derbies and 24 Oaks.

In 1982 Mr Cummings was made a member of the Order of Australia for services to racing industry. In 1991, Cummings was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame. In 2001 he was an Inaugural inductee into Racing Hall of Fame. In 2007, Australia Post placed his image on a postage stamp as part of its Australian Legends series. A bronze statue stands at Flemington in honour of the man.

For all that, the biggest tribute to Mr Cummings is that he will ultimately be remembered as much for who he was as for what he achieved.

That is a measure of the true Champion status he achieved.

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Mr Cumming’s grandson James Cummings released a statement after the passing of the racing legend in the early hours of Sunday morning. The statement reads:

‘James Bartholomew Cummings OAM, passed away peacefully in his sleep in the early hours of this morning, Sunday the 30th of August 2015, in his homestead at Princes Farm, Castlereagh."

‘His final moments were spent with his family and wife of 61 years, Valmae, with whom he celebrated their anniversary on Friday. For Bart, aged 87, this was a fitting end. A husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather ... a master trainer and a larger than life figure.

‘We will miss you.’

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