Francesca Cumani photographed with Newhaven Park’s $400,000 Allow colt.

January 24, 2012

Francesca Cumani with Lot 444 from Newhaven Park. Pic: Michael Ross

FRANCESCA Cumani walks through the Bundall sales complex like anyone else.

Daniel Meers | January 13th, 2012

She stops, chats, poses for photos and, most importantly to her, looks at the bloodstock.

As the nation’s media went into a spin over American model Brooklyn Decker, Cumani slipped quietly into the Gold Coast — just like anyone else.

But Cumani isn’t like anyone else.

She’s the daughter of legendary European horse trainer Luca, she’s the face of the Melbourne Cup Carnival and of Channel 7′s coverage.

Yet she slipped into the Coast almost unnoticed.

Dressed like everyone else, with her hair in a ponytail, Cumani goes about her business. To her she’s just part of the racing industry.

Australia disagrees. She’s become one of our most famous faces.

Did she expect the fame?

“God no, no it’s funny isn’t it,” she said. “I guess when you’re on TV it’s inevitable that people will start to take more notice of you.”

Cumani has taken it in her stride.

“I enjoy the work with Channel 7, doing live TV is a real adrenalin rush and being able to talk about the sport I love is an added bonus.”

Industry sources say she’s a dream to work with. Katie Page-Harvey brought Cumani out to be an ambassador for next year’s $500,000 women’s race.

The Bulletin put in a request for an interview and photoshoot with Cumani and she phoned back within minutes to agree. She proposed a time and apologised if it was too late.

She’s the ultimate marketing tool.

Gerry Harvey, the owner of Magic Millions, fell in love straight away.

“How good is Francesca? ” he said.

“She’s the perfect person to be a face of an event.”

And so it is that Cumani is here on the Gold Coast and there’s every chance she’ll be back next year.

If she is, there’s little chance she’ll get away with being just like anybody else.