CHAMPION TRAINER Bart Cummings, regarded as one of the greatest thoroughbred trainers of all time, passed away on Sunday morning at the age of 87.
Cummings passed away peacefully in his sleep at his homestead at Prince's Farm, Castlereagh and grandson/training partner James Cummings has since released a statement about the Hall of Fame trainer's passing.
“His final moments were spent with his family and wife of 61 years, Valmae, with whom he celebrated their anniversary on Friday,” Cummings said.
“For Bart, aged 87, this was a fitting end. A husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather; a master-trainer and a larger than life figure.
“We will miss you.”
Bart Cummings started training in 1953 and has since been tagged as the ‘Cups king' after winning a record 12 Melbourne Cups.
To go along with the Melbourne Cup success, Cummings also trained another 256 Group 1 winners which included the likes of Let's Elope, Light Fingers, Galilee, Saintly, So You Think and Precedence, which will carry the grandstand at Flemington this November if it gains a start in the 2015 Melbourne Cup.
Over the past few years, Cummings has trained in partnership with grandson James and the two were victorious at Rosehill on Saturday when Sultry Feeling cruised home.
Their biggest success as a duo came when Hallowed Crown won the Group 1 Randwick Guineas earlier this year.
As for Bart, his impact on the Australian Thoroughbred industry will be sorely missed. Cummings received an Order of Merit for his services to racing in 1982 and he even had a postage stamp in his honour as a part of the Australian Legends series.
His legacy will forever be remembered by his Melbourne Cup successes, training 12 winners and training the quinella on five occasions.
Bart Cummings Melbourne Cup winners
Light Fingers – 1965
Galilee – 1966
Red Handed – 1967
Think Big – 1974/1975
Gold And Black – 1977
Hyperno – 1979
Kingston Rule – 1990
Let's Elope – 1991
Saintly – 1996
Rogan Josh – 1999
Viewed – 2008
Bart Cummings currently has Precedence nominated for the 2015 Melbourne Cup for which it is a $101 chance with bookmaker Sportsbet.com.au.
The grand 10-year-old has never finished in the second half of the Melbourne Cup field and it is coming off its career best sixth behind Protectionist.
Should it make the field, the entire nation will be cheering it home – for Bart.