Anamoe - The Story So Far

A brief racing history of Anamoe

Anamoe has had an impressive career to date and for trainer James Cummings he is having a season that will live long in the memory having seen his stable star start 7 times this campaign and rattle off no less than 6 wins. 

What's even more impressive is that 5 of those 6 wins have come at Group One Level where four year old Anamoe has been able to amass over $5m in prize money for Sheik Mohammad and the Godolphin team. 

Given the dizzying heights Anamoe, who seemingly looks unbeatable at this moment in time, has reached in recent months we take a look at where it all started, how its going and where next for this superstar of Australian Horse Racing. 

Where It All Started For Anamoe

Anamoe was foaled on the 16th November 2018 by Dam Anamato who was sired by Street Boss, an Australian Legend of racing in his own right. 

However, before Anamoe was even born the shape of Godolphin in Australia was changing with 2017 seeing the appointment of James Cummings as principal trainer for the middle eastern training powerhouse. 

Cummings, who had previously been in training partnership with Racing Hall Of Famer and Grandfather Bart before his passing, was chosen to replace John O’Shea as the lead trainer down under and stepped into the role from his Leilani Lodge training base.

As a fourth generation trainer Cummings stepped into the role with a vast amount of knowledge and pedigree and it wasn’t long before he had his first winner at Group One level watching another three year old in Alizee power home in the Flight Stakes to win his maiden Group One for Godolphin. 

 Roll forward three years to 14th November 2020 and we see a two year old Anamoe step out on the track for Cummings for the first time with Damien Oliver taking the colt on his maiden voyage round Caulfield Racecourse in a Listed Debutant Stakes over 1000m.

On his racing debut the $7 chance Anamoe would rattle home in fifth place behind Ciaron Maher and David Eustace trained second favourite Fake Love. This would be only one of three starts since that Anamoe has finished outside the placings in a Black Type race. 

Anamoe Two Year Old Season - Finding The Right Path

After his first up run Anamoe was spelled for 12 weeks with Autumn two year old campaign in mind. 

He would return to the track in the early Autumn when resuming at Caulfield and it wouldn’t be long before the Colt would rack up the first of his nine Group One titles for Cummings and Godolphin. 

His first challenge of the campaign would be the Group Three Blue Diamond Prelude in early Feb of 2021 where Anamoe would finish second over 1100m, narrowly missing by a nose to General Beau after running from off the pace to finish strongly in the straight. 

This run put Anamoe right in the thick of the Group One Blue Diamond Stakes betting as second favourite however once again he finished in the minor placings have got back from barrier thirteen to wind up late and finish third behind Artorius and stablemate ingratiating over 1200m.

 After back to back runs in Melbourne Anamoe would be switched to Sydney where he would claim his maiden victory in the Group Two Todman Stakes once again over 1200m. Against only a small field Anamoe would defeat the likes of Remarque and Home Affairs, the later becoming a decorated Group One sprinter since. 

A quick freshen up and Anamoe would be back at the track once again three weeks later to tackle the Group One Golden Slipper, Sydney's premier race for two year olds worth over $3.5m in prize money. 

Against a field of 14 it would be a familiar story for Anamoe who would wind up from 14th place on the 600m to come flying late and narrowly miss when finishing second behind Stay Inside. 

It wouldn’t be long before Cummings would piece it together with Anamoe though that he needed the extra ground and the time to wind up over the distance and on his very next start in the Group One Sires Produce on 10th April 2021 at Royal Randwick over 1400m Anamoe would win his maiden Group One title. 

 

This would be seen as the turning point for the two year having quickened away from the field under hands and heels to draw 5 lengths clear before winding down at the line to win by an eventual 2.8l margin. He below them away and the signs were positive going into his three year old season. 

Anamoe Three Year Old Season - A Rising Star

Following a successful two year old season there was a significant buzz around the Godolphin stables that they had uncovered a good one in Anamoe and that the horse looked capable of stretching right out to a mile rather than the shorter distances he had been racing at. 

The initial project was to compete in Sydney’s premier 3 year old race, The Golden Rose at Rosehill Gardens in September of 2021. 

In the build up to the Golden Rose there are a number of build up races which filter into the $3.5m 1400m feature race. The main one, The Run To The Rose is the prelude to the Rose held two weeks prior to the 3yo feature and where Anamoe started off his next campaign.

Clearly growing physically, Anamoe looked a dominant figure when entering the gates at the rearranged Run to the Rose which was held at Kembla Grange because of poor track conditions at Rosehill and showed his true class when jockey James McDonald rode the colt home with little persuasion to win.

It was a confident win by Anamoe who claimed In The Congo late to win the Group 2 Contest. As a result bookies moved Anamoe into a $1.90 favourite for the Group One Golden Rose. 

With Anamoe growing with every run the favourite for the Golden Rose got back in the field and it would be a familiar scene as he tried to run down In The Congo late like he did in the Run To The Rose. However this time In The Congo was able to pinch to much of a lead and despite another huge off the pace run Anamoe finished second by under half a length.

 

There was clearly some excitement about Anamoe every time he stepped up in distance and the decision to take him to Melbourne was made where he would contest the Group One Caulfield Guineas over 1600m which would be his longest distance to date.

Anamoe would put on an impressive display in the Caulfield Guineas where jockey Damien Oliver would be forced to jump from a car park barrier, travel at the back of the field before peeling 6 wide on the bend and storm over the top with what looked like a lot to spare. 

 

So confident was the win the Godolphin team went full speed ahead into a Cox Plate campaign where Anamoe would contest the 2040m challenge of Moonee Valley and step out against the older horses for the first time. 

All through his career Anamoe had looked as though the longer distances would suit and the Cox Plate was his first chance to show that. Against the best of the local talent as well as the best from abroad Anamoe showed every bit of quality.

The race was only contested by 8 runners however Irish runner State of Rest was able to pinch a run up the inside on the home turn. Anamoe was right behind him and quickly took the rails run. Despite going head to head all the way down the straight and protesting the result Anamoe would finish second by a nose.

 

It was clear that State Of Rest had shifted off his line however the Stewards awarded the Joseph O’Brien runner the win believing the Irish horse was going better than Anamoe which would leave Cummings feeling there was unfinished business with the race.

After his Cox Plate run Anamoe was spelled for 12 weeks in preparation for an Autumn Campaign back in Sydney where he would have  a mixed run finished in the places during the Group 2 Expressway Stakes and Group 1 Randwick Guineas before winning the Hobartville and Rosehill Guineas. 

He would round out his Autumn with a last placed finish in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes however the track was a bog that day and the heavy 10 surface was a gamble for all runners after persistent heavy rain as $41 chance Think It Over would win the $5m Group One. 

Anamoe 4 Year Old Season - The Start Of Something Special

Of course Anamoe’s current season will be very fresh in the memory having seen the superstar claim his 6th Group One of the season. However it’s just worth reminding ourselves of how good that Spring campaign was. 

The hype train went into overdrive as early as August as Anamoe returned to the track to claim the Group One Winx Stakes when a $2.50 favourite. He would follow that with a win in the G1 George Main Stakes and a third Group One title in the Might and Power Stakes. It was then full steam ahead to the 2022 Cox Plate.

It would be second time lucky for the ‘Big A’ as Anamoe would move clear to the centre of the track and power home to win the W.S. Cox Plate just 12 months after losing it in extremely controversial circumstances.

 

The win would rack up a fourth straight Group One title and if it hadn’t have been for the poor showing in the Champions Mile at Flemington Anamoe could perhaps look to be undefeated after winning the Apollo, Chipping Norton and George Ryder Stakes since. 

So Where Next For Anamoe 

At one point there was talk of Anamoe heading to the Middle East to compete in the Dubai World Cup, however that has already been abandoned in favour of an Autumn campaign at home with a trip to Ascot set to follow. 

Cummings has spoken openly about taking Anamoe to the Northern Hemisphere and cementing his status as one of the greatest ever and if he can do it and remain undefeated he could well carry that mantle. 

A career at stud beckons for the 9 times Group One winner and while he continues to perform the way he does we will just have to enjoy the ride of watching one of the greats while it lasts. 

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