▁November ▁ 1 9 2 7 ▁– ▁ 3 0 ▁August ▁ 2 0 1 5 ), ▁also ▁known ▁by ▁his ▁initial s ▁J . ▁B . ▁C umm ings , ▁was ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁most ▁successful ▁Australian ▁race hor se ▁train ers . ▁He ▁was ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁Cu ps ▁King , ▁referring ▁to ▁the ▁Melbourne ▁Cup , ▁as ▁he ▁won ▁' the ▁race ▁that ▁stops ▁a ▁nation ' ▁a ▁record ▁twelve ▁times . ▁During ▁his ▁lifetime ▁C umm ings ▁was ▁considered ▁an ▁Australian ▁cultural ▁icon ▁and ▁an ▁Australian ▁National ▁Living ▁Tre asure . ▁As ▁a ▁racing ▁icon ▁he ▁was ▁generally ▁considered ▁in ▁the ▁ 2 0 th ▁century , ▁equivalent ▁as ▁what ▁Et ienne ▁L . ▁de ▁M estre ▁had ▁been ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 th ▁century . ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁C umm ings ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 7 , ▁in ▁Ad ela ide , ▁South ▁Australia , ▁the ▁son ▁of ▁the ▁accomplished ▁Irish - born ▁tra iner ▁Jim ▁C umm ings , ▁who ▁trained ▁the ▁great ▁st ayer ▁Com ic ▁Court ▁to ▁a ▁win ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 5 0 ▁Melbourne ▁Cup . ▁Bart ▁started ▁his ▁career ▁working ▁for ▁his ▁father ▁as ▁a ▁stra pper , ▁despite ▁being ▁all erg ic ▁to ▁horses ▁and ▁hay . ▁ ▁C umm ings ▁had ▁an ▁older ▁brother , ▁Pat , ▁and ▁said ▁of ▁his ▁father ; ▁" I ▁had ▁the ▁best ▁of ▁teachers . ▁My ▁d ad ▁had ▁a ▁lot ▁of ▁experience ▁behind ▁him ▁and ▁I ▁picked ▁up