‘A progression to the next stage of my career’ – James Cummings confirms Hong Kong move

James Cummings’s long-rumoured move to Hong Kong has been confirmed, with the Hong Kong Jockey Club announcing he will join its list of contracted trainers.

Cummings, who earlier this year announced he would end his exclusive training arrangement with Godolphin in Australia was in Hong Kong for the announcement and will take up his licence in the 2026/27 season.

He has withdrawn his application for the Leilani Lodge stables at Randwick racecourse and Carbine Lodge at Flemington.

“This wasn’t a decision I made lightly. With the upcoming conclusion of my exclusive role at Godolphin, I have carefully considered the right path forward,” Cummings said.

“While continuing to train in Australia was my intention, the opportunity in Hong Kong presented a unique and respected environment to challenge myself and grow further as a trainer. This is a progression to the next stage of my career in a new jurisdiction.”

Cummings ended months of speculation about his Godolphin tenure when he announced in April that he would step down from the role. That contract finishes on July 31.

At the time he indicated he would re-establish himself as a public trainer in Australia, and till rain some horses for Godolphin, and even as late as last week, it was confirmed Cummings would have a presence in Melbourne out of the Godolphin-owned Carbine Lodge.

However, he has quickly pivoted on those plans. The trainer said it was only fair to give certainty to those who wanted to work and support him in any new venture in Australia.  

“I want to acknowledge the dedication of my staff over the years. I’ve been privileged to lead a talented and committed team whose contribution has been integral to the success of the stable,” he said.

“In deciding not to train next season, I also wanted to be fair to my staff by giving them the opportunity to commit to a long-term role with another stable.

“To the owners who had already been forthcoming in their support, I want to express my sincerest appreciation. I felt it would be unfair to continue, only to step away and leave the team and yearlings without guidance during a pivotal stage in their development.

“I also want to take this opportunity to thank Godolphin for entrusting me with the responsibility and leadership of their team over the past eight years.”

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Cummings, who joined his grandfather Bart in a partnership in 2013, has trained 52 Group 1 winners.

That haul includes 48 for Godolphin after overseeing Sheikh Mohammed’s Australian team since 2017.

He guided the careers of decorated Godolphin stars such as Anamoe, a nine-time Group 1 winner who became the breeding and racing conglomerate’s most successful racehorse.

Cummings was widely tipped as a frontrunner to take over Leilani Lodge, the Randwick stables made famous by his grandfather but left vacant when his father Anthony was stripped of his trainer’s licence earlier this year.

But he has also been constantly linked with a move to Hong Kong over the past six months.

Cummings’s most recent Group 1 win came in the Rosehill Guineas in March with the recently retired colt Broadsiding.

He sits 18th on the 2024/25 national trainers’ premiership with 75 winners.

With a few regrets and no time for a holiday, James Cummings is ready to go his own way

Much has changed in the training landscape since James Cummings last ran a stable in his own right, but as he tells Matt Stewart, he is galloping into his next chapter with the same energy as the day he zipped up the Godolphin jacket for the first time.

The StraightMatt Stewart