A triumphant return for the champion Anamoe in the Group II Apollo Stakes at Randwick topped off a fantastic day for Godolphin.
Ridden by James McDonald for James Cummings, the 4yo son of Street Boss enjoyed a dream run one out one back. He was always doing enough to hold off a determined Hinged (Worthy Cause) by three-quarters of a length, with Fangirl (Sebring) a long neck back in third.
Making his first appearance since finishing fourth in the Group 1 VRC Champions Stakes at Flemington in November, Anamoe advances his record to twelve wins, five seconds and two thirds from 22 starts with earnings of $10,768,025.
“It was a proper weight for age race wasn't it?” Cummings said.
“He goes out, he comes back, he goes through the preliminaries and you've just got to keep having the faith. What a player. He just comes back better again, a mature horse. He sweated up on a hot day,12 months ago he wasn't handling that, but today he handled that far better.
“James McDonald made it look absolutely painless. Allowed him to use his ability to be prominent in these weight for age races and he was terrific. Very proud of Anamoe and it's great for the team to have the big horse back. There's a lot we can look forward to.
“The Chipping Norton looks the nice progression for him. Here in two weeks and he'll be ready to fire again.”
The striking son of Street Boss (USA) is a half-brother to Irish stakes-winner Anamba (Shamardal) and is the best of four winners from seven to race out of the Group I SAJC Australasian Oaks winner Anamato.
Anamoe is a half-brother to Irish stakes-winner Anamba (Shamardal) and is the best of four winners from seven to race out of the Group I SAJC Australasian Oaks winner Anamato.
Trained by David Hayes, Anamato was taken to America to contest the $US750,000,000 Grade I American Oaks (2000m) at Hollywood Park. Ridden by Michael Rodd she finished third behind Panty Raid and Valbenny.
A half-sister by champion sire Redoute's Choice to Group I winner Drum, Anamato has a black-type laden pedigree that features Group I winners Grand Armee, Yourdeel and Dealer Principal.
Anamato started her stud career in the Northern Hemisphere before being repatriated in 2014. She has a yearling filly foal by Blue Point (IRE) and missed to Street Boss (USA) last spring.
After missing to Street Boss in 2021, Anamato visited the son of Street Cry (IRE) again last spring.