Anamoe in a class of his own as Godolphin colt dominates Inglis Sires’
Blue Diamond and Golden Slipper placegetter claims his Group 1 with stunning performance at Royal Randwick
After placing third in the Blue Diamond Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) and second in the Golden Slipper (Gr 1, 1200m), there was nothing stopping Anamoe (2 c Street Boss – Anamato by Redoute’s Choice) in the Inglis Sires’ Produce (Gr 1, 1400m) at Randwick yesterday, as the Godolphin-raced juvenile mesmerised to comfortably land the Group 1 feature.
The record books will show a two-and-three-quarter-length success for the son of Street Boss (Street Cry), but in reality it could have been any margin of victory, as backers of the odds-on favourite had little concerns, with James McDonald easing Anamoe to the line having streaked five-lengths clear of the chasing pack in the straight, finishing ahead of Hilal (Fastnet Rock) who stayed on from the rear to claim second from Captivant (Capitalist).
A mainstay of the feature juvenile contests this season, Anamoe opened his account in the Merson Cooper Stakes (Listed, 1000m) and then flew home from the rear of both the Blue Diamond and Golden Slipper fields, claiming third and second respectively.
In between those contests he won the Todman Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) last month but, in spotting the leader closer in the nine-runner Sires’ Produce, Anamoe made light work of a high-quality field that included VRC Sires’ Produce (Gr 2, 1400m) winner Lightsaber (Zoustar), as well as Sweet Embrace Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) victor Four Moves Ahead (Snitzel).
Trainer James Cummings delivered Golden Slipper runner-up Microphone (Exceed And Excel) to win the Sires’ on his subsequent start in 2019, and in repeating the feat with Anamoe, the trainer was left with nothing to fear ahead of a tilt at the Champagne Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m) in a fortnight, in a bid to emulate the Group 1 double of King’s Legacy (Redoute’s Choice) last term.
“He’s come through the best of the two-year-old races that are around,” said Cummings. “I’m just incredibly proud that he’s been able to absorb the pressure of those Group 1s, and he turns up here in absolutely perfect condition.
“We were a bit tougher on him stepping up to 1400 metres, in fact I’ve been tough on him his whole racing career, and there’s nothing that I’ve thrown at him that has been too hard for him and every time he just continues to reach new heights every time I raise the bar.
“I don’t see anything that will be around in the next two weeks that will threaten him in the Champagne, but there’s no certainties in it.
“I think it just comes down to whether we’d be comfortable to run the horse again.”
Looking further ahead, Cummings has set his sights on claiming the Caulfield Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) in the spring.
“I will say this, it’s a long time until the Caulfield Guineas in October and if that’s going to be our target race with him then I wouldn’t mind just giving him that strengthening run over a mile in April before we put him away for a short break,” he added.
The win at the elite-level for Anamoe also delivered a milestone for jockey James McDonald, who claimed his 50th Group 1 win, and there will not have been too many simpler than today’s success, with McDonald declaring the colt the ‘Rolls Royce’ of the two-year-old division.
“It’s amazing, I’ve been very lucky throughout the 12 years I’ve been here, and I’ve obviously got so many people to thank,” said McDonald.
“This horse, it’s his day in the sun, he’s a marvellous horse.
“What he did in the Slipper was just incredible, and to come and do that to good quality horses is just incredible, he’s the Rolls Royce of two-year-old racing.”
The emergence of Street Boss as a prolific sire of high-class two-year-olds in Australia has been a feature of the juvenile division in recent years.
The Darley stallion has shuttled since 2009 and is responsible for last year’s Blue Diamond runner-up Hanseatic who stands his first season at Rosemont this year, while Arcaded has landed prizes in the Blue Diamond Prelude (Gr 2, 1100m) and Magic Night Stakes (Gr 3, 1200m) this term.
Anamoe is the US dual Grade 1 winner’s third Group 1 winner in Australia, his eighth overall, after The Quarterback and Winterbottom Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) winner Elite Street. He stood at Northwood Park for a fee of $27,500 last year.
Out of Australiasian Oaks (Gr 1, 2000m) winner Anamato (Redoute’s Choice), a four-time winner at Group level including the Kewney Stakes (Gr 2, 1400m) and SAJC Sires’ Produce (Gr 3, 1600m) at two, who was also placed in the American Oaks (Gr 1, 10f) at three. Anamoe is one four winners for the mare and a half-brother to Irish stakes winner Anamba (Shamardal).
His dam is one three stakes winners from the stakes-placed mare Voltage (Whiskey Road), including Oakleigh Plate (Gr 1, 1100m) winner Drum (Marauding).
Anamato was put in foal to Blue Point (Shamardal) last year, while she has a yearling colt by Shooting To Win (Northern Meteor) named Dartboard.
Group 1 double for Blue Army as Cascadian wins Doncaster
Cascadian became the first import to win the Doncaster Handicap (Gr 1, 1600m) since Secret Savings (Seeking The Gold) in 1997 as the son of New Approach (Galileo) scored a big-race double for the Blue Army at Randwick yesterday.
The win also delivered a fifth Group 1 win for jockey Jamie Kah, equalling the record set by Michelle Payne for the most wins at the highest level for a female jockey.
The striking British-bred six-year-old, who possesses a distinct baldy face, was wrapped up in the second half of the field by Kah and, entering the straight, the gaps opened on cue for Cascadian to drive through, running down the centre of the track to come out on top in a contest with Icebath (Sacred Falls) who rallied on the rails but just fell short by a head in a bid to emulate her sire Sacred Falls (O’Reilly) in winning the premier mile handicap. Dalasan (Dalakhani) finished third.
A race his grandfather Bart won five times, James Cummings added his name to the list of winning trainers of the time-honoured handicap, courtesy of a horse who was contesting his tenth race at Group 1 level.
Formerly trained by Andre Fabre in France, where he finished runner-up in the Prix Jean Prat (Gr 1, 1600m), one of three times the gelding has been placed at the highest level, most recently behind Yulong Prince (Gimmethegreenlight) in the Cantala Handicap (Gr 1, 1600m).
He arrived into yesterday’s race after a fourth placing in the George Ryder Stakes (Gr 1, 1500m) behind Think It Over (So You Think), who scratched after a turbulent float trip to the course.
“When horses come off the plane of his calibre, we know we’re cooking with gas,” said Cummings. “While he hasn’t won a heap of races since he’s been here, we’ve worked out a few things with him, and mucked around a little bit this preparation.
“Twelve months ago he won a Doncaster Prelude and now he’s gone and won the Doncaster through the legitimate form line, I’m really lost for words at how remarkable it is to have this horse get up and win one of these big grand finals.”
After landing the Group 1 double on Doncaster day Cummings was quick to praise his support network.
“A couple of years ago we won the Slipper and the Ranvet on the same day. But for Anamoe to convert and for the Doncaster trophy to come back to Godolphin is fantastic,” he said.
“The team has done a magnificent job to keep this horse nice and lean. To all the guys that behind the scenes power what is a magnificent Blue Army, on days like this we’ve got to be so grateful.”
Kah, who leads the Victorian jockey standings, was equally emotional after her landmark success and a first Group 1 win in Sydney.
“I’m just speechless to be honest. I was speaking to Hughie in the gates and I said ‘I’m just going to follow you and I hope you win, and if you don’t I’m going to win’,” she said.
“We got a beautiful run, and everything just opened up at the right time for him. He probably waited a little bit on the line, that’s why I wasn’t sure if I got it or not, but he stuck his nose out and I couldn’t be happier.”
Although internationally-bred, Cascadian possesses many familiar bloodlines. He is out of UAE Oaks- (Gr 3, 1900m) winning mare Falls Of Lora, a daughter of Street Cry (Machiavellian), with Cascadian the first of three foals to race.
His second dam, Firth Of Lorne, is by Danehill (Danzig), a runner-up in the Poule d’Essai des Pouliches, the French 1,000 Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m). She is the dam of eight winners, including four at stakes level, while his third dam Kerrera (Diesis), was also a 1,000 Guineas (Gr 1, 1m) runner-up in the UK.