Saturday summary: Anamoe at his best in Chipping Norton romp

Cover image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan

Anamoe devastating in Chipping Norton

There were six Group 1s across Australia and New Zealand on Saturday afternoon but the day undoubtedly belonged to Godolphin’s superstar Anamoe (Street Boss {USA}) who delivered a sublime performance in the G1 Chipping Norton S. at Randwick.

At the front of the action at Sandown, the G1 Blue Diamond S. went to Little Brose (Per Incanto {USA}), giving a 10th win in the race to Lindsay Park, and a first to Ben and JD Hayes.

With James McDonald sitting off a fast early pace, the pair crept into the race rounding the home turn before the Champion Jockey set his mount to it, only for Anamoe to race away with minimal fuss, dispatching a high-class field.

Fighting it out for second place against Mo’unga (NZ) (Savabeel), Chris Waller’s Fangirl (Sebring) was the closest finisher, 1.29l away. But that margin belies Anamoe’s dominance in the race; citing a possible international campaign, trainer James Cummings believes he could produce an even greater performance were he to be taken further into the race.

“When you set the pace on for a horse like Anamoe, it’s a beautiful thing to watch because he gets the opportunity to assert his dominance,” Cummings said, adding: “He’s a truly great horse.

“It’s a pleasure for us to have a horse as good as this. We’ve got a great team around us… You can see the effort that’s gone into this horse to get him to this level, and to have him back every prep is amazing.”

Whilst it was a 37th Group 1 win for Cummings as a solo trainer, it was an eighth for Anamoe and a 75th for James McDonald, who couldn't have been more complimentary of Anamoe.

“He’s just an incredible horse. He can adapt to any situation, conserves energy like no horse I’ve ever ridden.

“I think that was his best performance in terms of getting there so quickly, then having the audacity to put 2l on a marvellous field, the best in Sydney so far - it was just an incredible feeling.”

Anamoe was the headliner for another exceptional Saturday for James Cummings and Godolphin, who also won the G2 Skyline S. at Randwick with juvenile colt Corniche (Fastnet Rock), whilst 3-year-old gelding Pericles who, like Anamoe, is by Street Boss (USA), won the G2 Autumn Classic at Sandown.

Gator grabs fifth Group 1

There can be no doubt that popular gelding Alligator Blood (All Too Hard) has enjoyed his recent preparations in Victoria, as he added a third Group 1 to his seasonal tally there with victory in the Futurity S. on Saturday at Sandown-Lakeside in his return to action this year.

Not that he needed the help as the most-voted for horse at the time, but the race also counts as a ‘win and you’re in’ for The All-Star Mile, a confirmed target for the 6-year-old.

Perhaps unexpectedly, the lead was taken up by Nugget (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}), Blake Shinn opting to settle Alligator Blood into second position. With the race accelerating to a blistering pace in the home stretch, it was Shinn leading the charge, and the pair raced clear of the field.

Having sat further back in the run, Mr Brightside (NZ) (Bullbars) may not have been seen to full effect, with Ben and JD Hayes’ gelding closing all the time, finishing 1.25l behind Alligator Blood at the line, whilst I’m Thunderstruck (NZ) (Shocking) was 0.5l away in third.

After Alligator Blood notched his fifth lifetime Group 1, co-trainer Adrian Bott hailed the horse as “sensational.”

“(I’m) delighted for everyone involved, continuing the story of his career, he really is a phenomenal racehorse,” Bott said.

“Everything has been based around The All-Star Mile, we have been guided by him throughout the whole campaign and felt he probably need that little extra time, and have him peaking second-up, we’ve followed that previously with him, and I think there is good improvement off the back of today.”

The win handed a 25th Group 1 to Blake Shinn, who found plenty of trouble in running when partnering Don Corleone (Snitzel) to a second-place finish in the G1 Blue Diamond S. only the race before.

“Amazing, 35 minutes in racing,” Shinn said. “You just have to keep your head up and it is thrilling to come back to Victoria.

“I've only been back a relatively short time, and to get the support of the trainers and owners and to ride such a headline horse like Alligator Blood, it is such a privilege.

“Adrian and Gai, they are marvellous trainers and I'm honoured to be a part of their team and play a small part.”

Paris steals Surround, Invader’s first Group 1

When James McDonald, aboard second-favourite Zougotcha (Zoustar), pushed ahead to hold Hugh Bowman, riding In Secret (I Am Invincible), against the rail as they turned for home, little did the pair realise that neither would finish in the top two, their main dangers still lying behind them.

It was a thrilling finish to the G1 Surround S. as the well-fancied G1 Coolmore Stud S. winner In Secret was resigned to third and G1 Flight S. winner Zougotcha to fourth as they, along with Sunshine In Paris (Invader) and Ruthless Dame (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}), dived for the line in a four-way photo finish.

Prevailing by the narrowest of margins was Annabel Neasham’s Sunshine In Paris, who got the better of Ruthless Dame by a whisker.

"I was standing with my great mate Dave Eustace and I think he thought he'd got it, she is so small you can’t see her. I’m speechless,” Neasham said.

“I’m not in shock because I was actually disappointed she didn’t win the Light Fingers, I thought she had the ability to be the best 3-year-old filly around, but obviously coming here today, they’re such good fillies. Seeing them fight out the finish like that was unbelievable.”

It was a memorable day for jockey Ryan Maloney, who doubled his tally of Group 1 victories after tasting defeat on the fancied Queensland raider Skirt The Law (Better Than Ready) earlier in the afternoon.

“I was licking my wounds after Skirt The Law,” Maloney said. “But, I was quite bullish about her (Sunshine In Paris’) prospects here because she didn't see the winner until late the other day and she got going late, the last 50 metres.

“I thought if anything last start I was probably a tad too close, it took a bit of the dash out of her. But, when I landed where I did I was tickled pink and she did the rest.”

Previously leading the progeny of Aquis Farm’s second-season sire Invader with her second-place finish in the G2 Light Fingers S., Sunshine In Paris not only provided the Aquis Farm resident with his first stakes winner but made it a Group 1 for good measure.

Bred by Aquis, Sunshine In Paris sold as an unraced 2-year-old at the 2022 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale, where she was picked up by Champagne Bloodstock for $90,000. She is out of Zenaida (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}), a half-sister to the Kiwi champion Vosne Romanee (Electronic Zone {USA}).

Group 3 scorer Macroura (Snitzel), a three-quarter sister to Sunshine In Paris, is Zenaida’s other stakes winner.

Thompson’s luck lands him Oakleigh Plate

Ben Thompson continued his winning partnership with Uncommon James (Cable Bay {Ire}) to land his first Group 1 in the Oakleigh Plate at Sandown-Lakeside on Saturday, in a turn of luck for the young rider in which Damian Lane was drawn away to ride in the Saudi Cup.

Trained by Steven O'Dea and Matthew Hoysted, the 4-year-old gelding took up a prominent position in the 1100-metre dash. With a strong pace set by fellow Queensland raider Zoustyle (Zoustar), Uncommon James worked to the front with 50 metres to run and was unchallenged at the line.

“It means so much; it means everything,” Thompson said of his first elite-level win. “It is so lucky for it to have happened. It’s the way it has panned out.

“Uncommon James is a horse I have had a lot to do with, I rode him in his first ever jump-out with other horses out of the barriers and I’d ridden him three times in Queensland for three wins and just also with the turn of events and getting the ride at the last hour…”

Co-trainer Matthew Hoysted was equally stunned, adding: “I can’t really put it in words, it hasn’t really sunk in. Can’t believe this horse, obviously there is a family connection with my in-laws having bred him.

“We knew he had so much improvement in him, this last week he has just improved out of sight.”

Lane's predisposal to the Saudi Cup wasn’t the only piece of fortune to grace Thompson’s victory, as Ethan Brown had originally been booked for the ride but couldn’t make the weight.

Bred and owned by wife Caitlin Hoysted’s family-owned Lavin Park in Queensland, Uncommon James is out of Pickabee (Jet Spur), a five-time winner who was Listed-placed and is a sister to stakes winner Emmalene.

Levante supreme in WFA Classic

Kicking off Saturday’s Group 1 action across the Tasman was the WFA Classic (1600 metres) at Otaki. Sent out co-favourites in expectation of a hard-fought battle, punters won’t have been disappointed as Levante (NZ) (Proisir) joined long-time leader La Crique (NZ) (Vadamos {Fr}) in the straight.

Trained by Ken and Bev Kelso, the prolific Levante made it 12 victories from 21 starts, holding La Crique to a 0.8l margin, the pair 1.25l clear of the field.

Tried only twice before at the mile trip, yielding a win and a Group 1 fourth place, Levante’s part-owner Phillip Brown commented:

“That is really special and I have been keen to see her get over 1600 metres as I felt that could be one of her best distances,” Brown said.

“Generally, she doesn’t like the rain but as she has got a bit older her joints aren’t as flash as they used to be, so I didn’t mind it when it set in,” he added, in reference to the track being downgraded from a Good 4 to a Soft 6 owing to persistent rain.

Ryan Elliot has now partnered Levante to all four of her elite-level wins, but felt it was special to win one at his home track of Otaki.

“It’s just really nice to get one where I was brought up,” he said. “She is just such a lovely mare and the rain brought her more into it.

“She surprised me how well she jumped, but it was good to see her put it all together and do everything right.

“I just let her slide around them on the home corner as I wanted to get going a little earlier because of the wet track and she has just thrived at the mile.

“She actually pricked her ears halfway down the straight, so I had to give her a little reminder as La Crique was putting up a real fight.”

Levante was bred by Scott Williams, who remains in her ownership, and she is out of the dual-winner Island Doy (GB) (Doyoun {Ire}), a half-sister to Group 3 winner Cryptavia (NZ) (Gold Brose).

Levante’s half-sister Doyenne (NZ) (Kilimanjaro {GB}) is also the dam of Kiwi Group 1 winner Maven Belle (NZ) (Burgundy {NZ}).

Moody strikes again in Armanasco

Having now won the race four times since 2010, it’s fair to say Peter Moody knows what sort of 3-year-old filly to place in the G2 Angus Armanasco S. (1400 metres). Improving her record to three wins from six starts, his Shuffle Dancer (I Am Invincible) was a game winner of her first stakes race on Saturday, giving Yarraman Park’s I Am Invincible his 91st career stakes winner.

Settling her three wide and one from the tail of the field, Ben Melham took the initiative halfway through the race, pushing up gradually before making his challenge wide in the straight.

The pair reeled in Royal Merchant (Merchant Navy) in the final 50 metres to score by 0.2l, whilst it was 1.75l further back to Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou’s Call Di (Frankel {GB}), who’s out of Champion 3-Year-Old Filly Samantha Miss (Redoute’s Choice).

Representing Peter Moody at Sandown on Saturday, assistant trainer Katherine Coleman credited Melham’s riding as he overcame barrier nine in the 10-horse field.

“I thought she was super, she was tough today,” Coleman told Racing.com. “That (the barrier) was his (Melham’s) concern pre-race… but he did a good job to get her into that spot.

“She did have a little freshen up between runs, so I think she’ll probably improve from this.”

Melham was impressed with the filly, adding: “She’s a good filly (but) she hasn’t got a lot of early tactical speed, and in this race today that was my concern from an awkward draw and with a tricky speed map.”

Shuffle Dancer never saw a sale and is out of the Street Cry (Ire) mare Palace Talk (NZ), who’s from the family of Pride Of Dubai and Aidan O’Brien’s speedy juvenile and Group 1 placegetter Gustav Klimt (Ire).

Her two other foals to race have come close to providing her with a stakes winner, being the G2 Light FIngers S.-placed Never Talk (No Nay Never {USA}) and Group 3 placegetter Forbidden City, a sister to Shuffle Dancer who is also in Moody’s stable, and added another black-type placing to her record later in the day at Sandown, placing third in the G3 Mannerism S.

Blue-blooded Pericles prevails

Godolphin may have unearthed another smart prospect after Pericles (Street Boss {USA}) sliced his way through a classy field in the G2 Autumn Classic (1800 metres) at Sandown-Lakeside, running away to score by an easy 2.75l margin. In second was Andrew Forsman’s Mr Maestro (NZ) (Savabeel) whilst Ausbred Rising Sun (Maurice {Jpn}) was close away in third.

Second-up after finishing fourth in the G2 Autumn S. on February 11, stable representative Sean Keogh said it was a promising performance.

“He only won a maiden over seven furlongs (1400 metres), and there was plenty of promise with the horse,” Keogh said. “Started in the Victoria Derby after four starts, so he had the promise there, but he needed to go and do it.

“We’d seen a tough run first-up, clearing away the cobwebs, and James (Cummings) felt like he could step up to 1800 metres and take out a nice race.”

Winning rider Jamie Kah added: “He gave me a super feel. I worked him on Tuesday and I thought that off his work he can’t get beat, but I was still very impressed with that - he had an electric turn of foot.”

A 62nd stakes winner for Darley’s Street Boss (USA), Pericles is beautifully related being out of the Singspiel (Ire) mare Accessories (GB), dam of Helmet, Epaulette and Bullbars.