Anamoe returns with fourth G1 triumph

Champion Godolphin galloper Anamoe burst back onto the G1 racing scene with a brilliant first-up win on Saturday, 20 August in the $750,000 Winx Stakes at Royal Randwick in Sydney. The star entire reached new heights with a four-year-old win at the highest level for third successive season.

The best of his year as a two- and three-year-old, Anamoe has now achieved the rare feat of winning at the highest level every year of his sensational career.

A three-time G1 winner of the Sires’ Produce Stakes, Caulfield Guineas and Rosehill Guineas before Saturday, Anamoe took his record to eight wins, four at G1 level and seven placings from 17 starts, returning as a four-year-old in a blaze of glory. 

Jockey James McDonald put Anamoe in the box seat in fifth spot on the fence before the stallion took an inside run to run away from Fangirl and Profondo to win by 1.75 lengths.

Trainer James Cummings was thrilled with the performance.

“He’s a proper horse, isn’t he,” an emotional Cummings said.

“It’s a great result for the team, he means a lot to us to have a horse as good as this back at four.

“To have him back every prep is amazing… we feel like we can lift his value and lift his reputation.”

Cummings said Anamoe’s record was impeccable but there could be more to come. 

“His Highness Sheikh Mohammed loves racing his horses and three-year-olds coming back to training at four.

“It’s exciting to see what he might have left in store.

“We’ve got options and he’s the type of horse we could drop back in distance because he’s fast.

“He’s the type of horse who can carry a stable.”

Cummings wouldn’t set out a specific program for the son of Street Boss leading up to his likely grand final to the Cox Plate at Moonee Valley in late October. 

“We’ve got plenty of time to see how he pulls up,” the trainer said. 

“We get spoilt for choice with what’s on the table for a horse like him.

“He’s a wonderful horse to have in training and a great advertisement with what we can do with the farm.

“It’s great to see him flying, coming back at four and hopefully the preparation unfolds as beautifully as it did this first-up run.”

McDonald couldn’t hide his admiration for Anamoe.

“He’s a superstar, he’s a lovely horse,” the champion rider said.

“Dare I say it, I think he’s definitely got better from three to four.

“Obviously some can, some don’t but this is a different horse - he’s more alert, he’s putting it all together.

“He will only get getter as he gets on, I don’t have enough words to say about him.

“Lucky I’ve strapped myself to him.”

Anamoe was the second leg of a Stakes-winning double for Godolphin after Zapateo scored in the G3 Toy Show Quality over 1,100m at Royal

Randwick. 

The four-year-old daughter of Brazen Beau beat Jamaea and Sky Command to notch her second Black-Type victory, the first at Group level to take her record to four wins and four placings from just nine starts.

Cummings predicted more wins were in store for the half-sister to former smart sprinter and 2018 The Everest place-getter Osborne Bulls.