'Her value could skyrocket': Cummings has big plans for his top mare

Duais, resumes in the Guy Walter Stakes following an unlucky spring preparation which saw her run fourth in the Cox Plate behind Romantic Warrior.

"I think with an ounce of luck Duais would have been right in the finish of the Cox Plate," Cummings told ACM Racing. "I thought she was really unlucky in the Cox Plate and I would say the same could be said about another couple of her spring runs.

"A bit of luck here and there and her record could be better than it is now. I've been very happy with her two trials at Rosehill and Hawkesbury. They were trials just to make sure her action and breathing were right. She wasn't asked to do much in the trials but she hit the line really good on both occasions.

"We've just taken her along slowly. I've got my fingers crossed she's set for a big campaign."

The grandson of the late famous trainer Bart Cummings said the Duais is nominated for all the feature races including the Doncaster Handicap, Queen Elizabeth Stakes and Australia Cup over the next few weeks.

"We'll have a better idea after the Guy Walter what we're doing with Duais," he said. "There's a lot of options open to us but we will not be rushed into a decision.

"There's some very nice races worth a lot of money which she can run in over the next few months in Sydney and Melbourne. She's already a valuable mare but her value could skyrocket if she happened to add another Group 1 to her record over the next few months."

Cummings, who has 20 horses in work at his Hawkesbury stables has booked champion jockey Nash Rawiller for Saturday's ride.

"I contacted Nash's manager chasing him for the ride," he said. "Under the set-weights and penalties clause in the Guy Walter I just thought Nash is the ideal rider.

"He's a very strong rider. It'll be the first time that Nash would have ridden the Duais. Nash is a top class jockey. I don't think there's any reason to bombard Nash with instructions how to ride Duais. She's a pretty easy sort of horse to ride but in saying that she's one tough mare who gives her all in her races.

"We've drawn barrier seven in the nine horse field. The barrier is no concern. Duais has good barrier speed. Nash will be able to have her placed on the speed or let her settle out the back before making her run."

Cummings thinks Duais has slipped under the radar of many racing fans.

"Duais has been underrated during her career," he said. "People tend to forget she's run up against the best in her career.

"Duais has tackled the likes of Mr Brightside, Verry Elleegant, Alligator Blood, Vow And Declare, Fangirl and Without A Fight to mention a few of the A grade performers and she's been very competitive against them.

"Duais has won three Group 1 races and they have been in three different states and there's not many horses have that on their record.

"I'm just hoping she can build on that record in the autumn and we may look at taking her to Queensland for the winter but that's a decision for another day. We'll just get over Saturday first in the Guy Walter."

Bookmakers are taking no risks with Duais in the Guy Walter Stakes. She's a $5.50 chance with the Chris Waller trained Olentia as the $2.20 favourite with Bet365.

Duais has won more than $4 million in stake money from her 32 starts which includes seven wins. Her three Group 1 victories are the 2021 Queensland Oaks, the 2022 Australian Cup and the 2022 Tancred Stakes.

Waller holds a strong hold on Saturday's ten race Randwick program. He accepted with 15 runners in six races. He saddles up classy mare Fangirl in the $1 million Group 1 Verry Elleegant Stakes.

Fangirl, who scored an impressive first-up victory in the Apollo Stakes, will be ridden by top jockey James McDonald in the 1600 metre contest. Three of the other runners in the Verry Elleegant field are trained by Waller.

The former New Zealand trainer had four winners on Wednesday's seven race card at Rosehill and two winners at Doomben.