Legendary Australian Trainer James Bartholomew Cummings sadly passed away Sunday morning AEST.
He was 87.
JB Cummings trained the winners of Australia's greatest race - the Melbourne Cup (3200m) - a record 12 times and also quinellaed it 5 times.
In total, at the highest level of racing, he trained the winners of 268 Group 1 races.
His record also includes four Golden Slippers, five Doncaster Miles, seven Caulfield Cups, 13 Australian Cups, five Cox Plates. He also prepared the winners of 32 Derbies and 24 Oaks.
Bart Cummings trained the winners of more than 7,000 races.
Some of his Champion gallopers included Galilee, Light Fingers, Taj Rossi, Leilani, Beau Zam, Let's Elope, Saintly and So You Think.
Bart was made a member of the Order of Australia in 1982 for his services to the racing industry and nine years later was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame.
Bart was also an inaugural inductee into the Australian Racing Hall of Fame and in 2007 Australia Post displayed his image on a postage stamp as part of its popular Australian Legends series.
In the last few years he was training in partnership with his grandson James. The fourth generation Cummings to train horses.
Jim Cummings - Bart Cummings - Anthony Cummings - James Cummings
Bart's Dad Jim trained the winner of the 1950 Melbourne Cup - Comic Court - and Bart was his strapper.
Bart and his wife Valmae celebrated 61 years of marriage on Friday 28th August.
There will be a State Funeral held in Sydney on Monday 7th September at 10am at St Mary's Cathedral. It will also be televised.
Jockeys will wear black armbands and observe a minutes silence at Royal Randwick Racecourse, Sydney on Saturday. The day will be dedicated to honoring the Champion trainer.
The following Saturday 12th September at Flemington Racecourse, home of the Melbourne Cup, there will be a similar day of commemoration to the man affectionately known as the 'Cups King'.
Vale Australian Racing Legend
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Re: Vale Australian Racing Legend
Sad news. He's been such a fixture, it's hard to believe he's gone.
Re: Vale Australian Racing Legend
He leaves an amazing legacy for the industry to not just admire but to emulate. Not often that in one's life your "performance" raises the bar for all who follow. Truly, a life of legendary accomplishment.