James Cummings hopes to celebrate first hole-in-one with an Avilius victory in Hollindale Stakes

Fresh off one of his greatest personal sporting achievements, James Cummings is brimming with belief that Avilius can make an overdue reappearance in the winners’ stall in Saturday’s $500,000 Group 2 Hollindale Stakes (1800m) at the Gold Coast.

An avid golfer, the Godolphin head trainer tasted his first hole-in-one on Sunday at his home club at The Lakes in Sydney’s eastern suburbs.

“It was a 133m par-three up the hill. The tee was slightly in front of the plates, pin front right protected by two bunkers on the front right shoulder, breeze into us,” Cummings said.

“It was in between a nine iron and a pitching wedge for me but I was hitting my nine iron so pure all day I decided to take my two club lengths back on the tee and hit my nine.

“Contact was pure, straight as a die, landed like a butterfly all over the flag.

“We were walking up to the green, no ball to be seen and one of my playing partners says, ‘well it can’t be in the bunker’ and the next thing we see is a pitch mark a foot short of the pin.

“I creep up to the hole and there’s the ball, hands in the air and the group all celebrated like we all had a hole in one. A great four ball to experience it with.”

James Cummings has his eyes on the prize with Avilus set to tackle the Hollindale Stakes on Saturday. Picture: AAPSource:AAP

Cummings hopes his ace is a sign his old warrior Avilius it ready to break back into the winners’ circle on Saturday in strong renewal of the weight-for-age feature.

It could be argued that no horse has contested a Hollindale with better recent form credentials than Avilius will on Saturday.

Fourth-up off close third placings in the Group 1 Chipping Norton Stakes and George Ryder Stakes before a gallant fifth with top-weight in the Doncaster Mile last start.

But his trainer is acutely aware it has been 20 months since the seven-year-old has been the first horse to greet the judge in the 2019 George Main Stakes.

“He’s had a gun prep and I think it really important that I’ve got a jockey that believes in the horse,” Cummings said.

“He’s gone up to Queensland early in the prep, he’s primed for these races and on Saturday he looks like he’s going to get his preferred track conditions.

The seventh hole at The Lakes Golf Course in Sydney. Picture: thelakesgolfclub.com.auSource:Supplied

“Over an extra 200m here, at weight-for-age and with a softer track he should have a lot more in his favour.

“I’d like to think he could take up a slightly more forward position on a track such as this which is probably a bit tighter than is ideal for him.

“The form he is showing gives him an undeniable chance to get the sort of result he deserves.”

Avilius is the $5.50 favourite with TAB fixed odds for Saturday’s assignment, the first time the imported multiple Group 1 winner has raced outside of New South Wales or Victoria.

Nash Rawiller takes the reins.

Originally published asCummings’ ace fuels belief in Avilius

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