Cover image courtesy of Bronwen Healy
The James Cummings-trained Anamoe has enjoyed a lucrative juvenile season and on Saturday brilliantly added the G1 Inglis Sires’ to his record and a Godolphin double following the earlier success in the G3 Widden Kindergarten S. of Paulele.
Anamoe has now won three of his seven starts, including the G2 Todman S. and the Listed Merson Cooper and finished runner-up in the G1 Golden Slipper S. and third in the G1 Blue Diamond S.
“He’s come through the best of the 2-year-old races and graduated through all three of our stables, they’ve got their fingerprints all over this horse,” Cummings said.
“I’m incredibly proud he’s been able to absorb the pressure of the Blue Diamond, the Todman and the Slipper. He turned up here in perfect condition.”
The colt, whose stud future with Darley is now assured, also handed rider James McDonald a slice of Australian racing history as the quickest jockey to post 50 Group 1 victories.
“It’s obviously amazing and I’ve been very lucky with the support I’ve had in the 12 years I’ve been here, I’ve got so many people to thank,” he said.
“It’s obviously amazing and I’ve been very lucky with the support I’ve had in the 12 years I’ve been here, I’ve got so many people to thank.” – James McDonald
“This is a marvellous horse and what he did in the Slipper was incredible and then to come and do that to quality horses in a Group 1 was incredible again. He’s the Rolls-Royce of 2-year-old racing.”
McDonald settled Anamoe one off the fence in fifth spot and he ambled to the front soon after straightening and, under hands and heels riding, surged clear to bolt in by 2.8l.
“I’ve been tough on him his whole racing career and there’s nothing I’ve thrown at him that has been too hard for him. He continues to reach new heights every time I raise the bar,” Cummings said.
The odds of Anamoe making one more appearance in the G1 Champagne S. in a fortnight’s time before a break shortened dramatically in the wake of Saturday’s stroll in the park.
“I don’t see why not. I can’t see anything around that’s going to threaten Anamoe in the Champagne,” Cummings said. “There’s no certainties and it’s just whether we're happy to run the horse again.
“I will say that it’s a long time until the G1 Caulfield Guineas in October and if that’s the target race then a strengthening run over a mile in April before we put him away might be good.”
Hilal (Fastnet Rock) settled at the tail of the field and he ran home gallantly for second ahead of Captivant (Capitalist) and the filly Four Moves Ahead (Snitzel) weakened to fourth.
Kindergarten romp
Paulele was back to winning ways in the G3 Widden Kindergarten S. after he had struggled to cope with the 1400 metres of the G2 VRC Sires’ Produce S. at Flemington at his previous appearance.
The chestnut, who was unbeaten in his first two appearances including one on the course before Christmas, returned to Sydney and a trial outing last month had him ready to go again.
Cummings said Paulele had an abundance of pace and had expected him to be hard to beat over the 1100 metres and on a track he had previously been seen to advantage on.
“He’s a bit of a weapon this horse and there’s no doubt he was too quick for the Sires’, but it was worth a crack. He dropped back in distance beautifully. That was a dominant win from a colt who can go on to be a pretty good 3-year-old.”
“That was a dominant win from a colt (Paulele) who can go on to be a pretty good 3-year-old.” – James Cummings
“Anyone with a form guide in their hands will work out that he is one-from-one from the Randwick chute.”
Rider Damien Oliver kept Paulele on the pace after breaking well from a handy gate and they coasted clear in the closing 100 metres to have a 2.5l advantage at the post.
“It was a good win and he was well-placed back in trip. I had a little bit to do with this horse in Melbourne before he raced and I quite liked him,” Oliver said.
There was also a tonne of merit in the performance of the runner-up Anagain (Hinchinbrook) as she came from a mile back in the running and Ashema (I Am Invincible) was also doing her best work late to cut King Of Sparta (I Am Invincible) out of third.
Paulele | Image courtesy of Bronwen Healy
