Cumani eager to see Aussie ‘wonder horse’

Francesca Cumani is looking forward to seeing Weekend Hussler at Flemington Park this weekend before her Melbourne Cup contender Mad Rush clashes with Australia's "wonder horse" in the Caulfield Cup on 18 October.

Cumani, daughter of Newmarket trainer Luca, is in Australia supervising Mad Rush's preparations for the Emirates Melbourne Cup on 4 November where the stable is looking to go one better than last year when Purple Moon finished runner-up to Efficient.

But, while Efficient is a shorter price than Weekend Hussler in the ante-post markets for the big race, Cumani will be an interested observer when the Ross McDonald-trained four-year-old runs in the Group 1 Turnbull Stakes.

She said: "I've heard all sorts of amazing stories about him, how he's the wonder horse. We hear he's the second coming, and everything else."

Weekend Hussler is Australia's highest-rated horse and has racked up seven Group 1 wins in 12 months, but only recorded his first win at further than a mile on his last start.

Cumani hinted that Damien Oliver, who rode Purple Moon last year, could be in line to ride Mad Rush but the jockey indicated that he would make up his mind after this Saturday's Flemington meeting.