Legend Luca Cumani comes up just short with final runner at Wolverhampton

Luca Cumani was unable to end his training career with the winner he wanted, but he will be looking to the future with Swansdown after the filly came with a thundering run to finish second at Wolverhampton.

Swansdown was backed to end Cumani's career in the perfect fashion, trading as short as 5-6 favourite having been 4-1 on Thursday morning, before finally being sent off the 6-5 market leader.

Owned and bred by Cumani and his wife Sara's Fittocks Stud – where the trainer plans to focus his energies in the future – Swansdown sat at the rear of the field on her first run in a handicap.

Swansdown: the final runner for Luca Cumani finished second at WolverhamptonCredit: Jonathan Hipkiss Photography

Turning for home, jockey Oisin Murphy conjured up a strong run from the inexperienced filly, chasing hard after the leader Fitwood Star but ultimately running out of time, eventually beaten by three-quarters of a length. Murphy received a two-day ban for using the whip above the permitted level.

Cumani felt the frustrations of a trainer one final time with Swansdown, and said: “She was beaten by the draw, no doubt. She jumped well but ended up last and on fast all-weather tracks it’s hard to come from last and win unless you’re a champion.

“The encouraging thing is she finished the race well and she’s a mile-and-a-half filly for next year, in keeping with her family. On today’s showing she’ll win a couple of races and she’ll be a nice filly for someone else to train.”

Asked if he might be tempted to have one more go with Swansdown, Cumani added: “No, I’m not training anymore! I’m lucky enough to have been able to offer myself another job and I’m looking forward to that now.”

Wolverhampton: scene of Luca Cumani's last runnerCredit: Jonathan Hipkiss Photography

Cumani ends his 43-year training career with 2,078 winners in Britain, featuring 19 Group 1s – the highlight of which were his Derby successes with High-Rise in 1998 and Kahyasi in 1988.

His final winner, fittingly, was God Given in the Group 1 Premio Lydia Tesio at Capanelle in Rome this month – his 45th and last success at the highest level worldwide.

He said: “I’m not particularly feeling anything after the race. What I’m looking forward to is the next chapter in my life and it’s the right time to be making that move. I’ve been very lucky to have had the career I’ve had and I’m very happy to be focusing on Fittocks in the years to come.”

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