'We have a few boxes he could dig out!' Matt Cumani hoping to see more of dad

Of all the days to bump into Matt Cumani, the morning after his father – that famous international campaigner of horses Luca Cumani – announced his retirement from the training ranks is a pretty fortunate one.

Cumani jnr has a thriving training business in Australia, not to mention an Australian wife, and the couple are expecting their first child. In short he will not be returning to take over at Bedford House, but spoke movingly of his father's career.

"I think it's a great move for him and I think he's quite excited about the next move," he said at Breakfast With The Best – where one of his horses, Serendipity, was working.

"He has a lovely stud farm at Fittocks with some great mares there and I think he's looking forward to dedicating a bit more time to that. Mother could do with another hand on the farm.

"I don't think it's a sad thing, it's been a fantastic career of absolutely amazing results. I think the best stat is that he's had stakes winners in 13 different countries and that's one I think only Godolphin compares with."

Cumani was in a jovial mood and added: "I take a lot from him and hopefully now he'll have more time to dedicate to coming down here and helping me out. We have a few boxes he could dig out!"

He elaborated: "He's come down for the last couple of years to help me select horses at the sales and hopefully he can continue to do that and have a bit more time to come out at different times of the year. It's always great to have someone like him to bounce ideas off.

"Obviously it's a different environment and slightly different training methods, but it's always good to go back to the old boys with all the experience and who know how to treat different horses in different situations."

His father was famous for campaigning his horses internationally and Cumani added: "I'm not sure what the cause was, I think he just had that entrepreneurial spirit from an early age. Being Italian, and having moved over to England, I think he saw it as a logical next step for horses to travel internationally.

"They'd done it before so it was about refining the process and coming down here was the next step. There's a huge amount of travel involved but he got it right on a number of occasions. He sadly didn't quite win the Melbourne Cup, but I'll have to take up that mantle and give it a go."

Barathea and Frankie Dettori triumph in the 1994 Breeders' Cup Mile

As for his personal highlights, he said: "I loved his two Derby winners and his wins in America. Take a horse like Barathea, to get placed one year and then win the next. It's that international travel he half pioneered, he certainly opened Australia to my eyes and that's something that'll always stand with me."

On a potential return to the UK however, Cumani was less enthusiastic. "I do miss the UK and miss the stable and the saddest thing is it'll go up for sale. I'd like the opportunity to go back but it just doesn't fit at the moment.

"I have a great group of owners down here who we've built up over a couple of years and hopefully we'll keep climbing the ranks. The timing's just wrong for me to go back as the environment in the UK's very difficult unless you've got a big backer who's going to send you 20 decent horses you're going to really struggle.

"Down here you can build up a really good stable with a group of owners who put in a little amount of money for a small share."

Bowman to partner Marmelo in work

With the growing sense that the Melbourne Cup is heading back to Europe the top Australian jockeys are keen to trial the visitors at the Werribee quarantine centre as they continue to try and give themselves the best possible chance, and on Wednesday Hugh Bowman will be in town to partner Hughie Morrison's Marmelo.

Marmelo was sent off joint-favourite at Flemington last year after a promising sixth in the Caulfield Cup. Bowman was in the saddle that day and that is partly the reason he was chosen for tomorrow's workout.

Thomas Pirie, Hughie Morrison's travelling head lad, said: "Marmelo has travelled really well, settled in quicker this year and his appetite's good, he's in quite a good place so it's onwards and upwards from here. His weight and diet's great and I can't put him in a better place.

"He'll do a bit tomorrow morning and Hugh Bowman's coming in to ride him. I'm not saying Hugh will ride him in the Cup because I'm sure he's got other options, but he rode him last year so it made sense to have him sit on him as he can tell me if he feels good."

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