Star three-year-old Anamoe lines up in Saturday’s $5 million Cox Plate, fresh off his Caulfield Guineas triumph, less than 24 hours after Ingratiating’s group 1 tilt in the Manikato.

Cummings says Melbourne’s sprints this season have appeared weak from a class perspective, but only in hindsight can that be truly judged.

Ingratiating has always promised a lot, but his disappointing run in the Danehill – when beaten by stablemate Kallos – left Cummings scratching his head.

“But I couldn’t help but feel his spring was not over and it wasn’t really until his last couple of lung burners with us that I felt the horse is going well,” he said.

“It dawned on me, I could use this Manikato as an opportunity for the horse to have a realistic shot at a group 1, or at the very least, if he wasn’t able to win, warm him up to the task of being up to the challenge of being competitive in the group 1 Coolmore up the straight.

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“I’ve backed the horse up once for a narrow second behind Artorius in the Blue Diamond; I don’t think there’d be anything that would stop that horse from backing up in the Coolmore if he was to run on beautifully in the Manikato.”

But, for Godolphin, this weekend is really about Anamoe – the second favourite for Saturday’s weight-for-age championship – who will be partnered by Craig Williams.

History is against Caulfield Guineas winners. Cummings, the grandson of the legendary Bart Cummings – who won five Plates – knows that better than most.

But Anamoe deserves his chance to rewrite the record books.

“The challenge is there in front of us,” Cummings said.

“Caulfield Guineas winners are not exactly the best recipe for winning the Cox Plate, let’s face it. Of the last 11 that have tried, I think only one has run a place.”

That was All Too Hard, who with his sparring partner Pierro ran in the placings behind Ocean Park in 2012.

Cummings knows his colt will have to go to a brand-new level to win a Cox Plate, but he said there were no signs the horse had trained off from his Caulfield Guineas victory. The step up to 2040 metres isn’t really a query, either.

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“I think that should be within his grasp,” Cummings said of the distance.

“The pace will be brutal. There are horses that much prefer a strong gallop in that race that take up prominent positions. From his barrier, he’s got the opportunity to let it unfold.

“He can make the improvement necessary. He’s fit now and has had a couple of strong canters around the circuit at Moonee Valley.

“I don’t think he’s going to be short of fitness and watching him to my eye in the Guineas, he might have a little more to offer.”