It is eight years to the day that Australia’s greatest-ever horse racing trainer Bart Cummings passed away, but the 12-time Melbourne Cup-winning trainer’s legacy still lives on, especially at this time of year.
Known for his razor-sharp wit almost as well as his ability to get the most out of a horse, Cummings delivered some cracking one-liners to journos, jockeys and everyone in his way over his storied career.
We are in a reflective mood today at HorseBetting.com.au, so we decided to compile a list of our favourite comebacks, sprays and gags from the one they called the Cups King.
A simple answer to a legitimate question
If you were a journalist back in the day when Cummings was at his peak, it was difficult to get an elongated quote out of the great man to fill the newspaper pages.
One scribe found that out the hard way when he asked Cummings what he attributed all his racing success to.
“Horses,” was the trainer’s response.
Probably not the answer that reporter was looking for, but accurate nonetheless.
Stable jockey Roy Higgins gets a Cummings clip
It was never a good idea to try and put one over the great man across his career, and a stable jockey found that out the hard way.
Years before he won a 12th Melbourne Cup with Viewed, Roy Higgins jokingly attempted to claim the trainer’s success as his own.
“You won 11 Melbourne Cups, I won two for you by that much,” Higgins told the master trainer, as he held two fingers just a couple of inches apart.
“If it wasn’t for me, you would only have won nine.”
Not having any of that, Cummings quickly fired back: “If it wasn’t for me, you wouldn’t have won any.”
Saintly’s cup win brings a tear to Bart’s eye – but why?
It is no secret that Saintly was one of Bart’s favourite horses.
When the son of Sky Chase saluted in the 1996 Melbourne Cup, Cummings was understandably emotional.
After a journalist noted to the trainer that he had a tear in his eye, Cummings responded in his typical sardonic fashion: “Yeah, I didn’t have enough on it.”
If Beadman can’t trust God, who can he trust?
In 1997 Darren Beadman shocked the racing world by quitting the industry to become a pastor.
The man who piloted Saintly to its 1996 Melbourne Cup success claimed he had spoken to God and that he was to quit race riding and study to join the ministry.
Never one to let his opinion go unheard, Cummings told the star jockey: “I think you should get a second opinion.”
The media gets a whack over Cummings’ favourite Galilee
There is no question Galilee held a special place in Cummings’ heart given the horse’s ability to overcome colossal odds.
After achieving great success across its career, the horse was forced to lug a huge weight in handicap races.
The media made a constant note of this to Cummings, who went in to bat for his galloper with his typically dry humour.
“The 10st 1lbs is a featherweight compared with the number of pressmen who have been on Galilee’s back this past week.”
For a full breakdown on every 2023 Melbourne Cup horses chances in the race that stops the nation, see our full feature race guides:
- Melbourne Cup Betting Tips
- 2023 Melbourne Cup Runner By Runner Preview
