Anamoe ‘beautifully suited’ to 2000m Rosehill Guineas trip
James Cummings believes that Anamoe is “beautifully suited” to the 2000m trip in Saturday’s Group 1 Rosehill Guineas.
The star colt has only seen 2000m once in his 14-start career, but that was when he was narrowly beaten in the 2021 Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley by the world-class State Of Rest.
With over $4.4 million in prizemoney to his name, there is little wonder that the three-year-old colt by Street Boss heads into Saturday’s assignment as the short-priced favourite at $2 with online bookmakers.
With three runs under his belt this preparation, Anamoe should be reaching peak fitness as he goes into the 2000m event at Rosehill Gardens in two days’ time, where a rematch with Converge beckons.
“Anyone watching the Randwick Guineas would have thought he would be beautifully suited up to 2000m,” the trainer said in a weekly Godolphin update.
“He’s got a brilliant turn-of-foot so he could have been competitive in either the Rosehill Guineas or the George Ryder (Stakes).
“Since resuming from a spell his three performances suggest the 2000m is perfect.”
Anamoe was beaten as a short-priced favourite first-up in the Expressway Stakes (1200m) to Overpass and Forbidden Love, before bouncing back in the Hobartville Stakes at this track over 1400m on February 19.
Despite going into the Randwick Guineas (1600m) as an odds-on favourite, Anamoe once again had his colours lowered, with Converge proving a third of a length too good for the Cummings colt.
CONVERGE HAS DONE IT IN THE RANDWICK GUINEAS! pic.twitter.com/DUeRikiT81
— 7HorseRacing 🐎 (@7horseracing) March 5, 2022
James McDonald is set to partner Anamoe once again, with pair drawing the outside barrier in the field of nine.
McDonald will also partner the James Cummings-trained Colette in the Group 1 George Ryder Stakes (1500m) in the following race.
The five-year-old mare by Hallowed Crown won the Golden Eagle (1500m) in 2020 at this track and distance, so Cummings believes that his star mare should be beautifully suited in the George Ryder, while the sting out of the track is going to only aid her chances.
“The prospect of having the sting out of the ground suits her,” he said.
“She is third-up with three weeks since that rather lacklustre finish in the Chipping Norton and is ready to run well.
“Her Golden Eagle victory affirms her penchant for the course.”
Colette disappointed as a well-backed commodity in the Group 1 Chipping Norton Stakes (1600m) at Randwick over 1600m on February 26, but punters have been forgiving of that run, as she has firmed from $7 into $6.50 for Saturday’s Group 1 event.
WHAT A FINISH.
WHAT A MOMENT FOR @KobyJennings!
COLETTE WINS THE $7.5 MILLION GOLDEN EAGLE. pic.twitter.com/BHnistUof6
— 7HorseRacing 🐎 (@7horseracing) October 31, 2020
While Anamoe and Converge sit towards the top of the betting in their respective assignments, Cummings will be hoping that his two-year-old filly Ojai can cause an upset in the Group 1 Golden Slipper (1200m).
The daughter of Exceed And Excel heads into the $5 million feature as a $51 chance under Chad Schofield, but her trainer believes that she brings the right form to the world’s richest two-year-old race to be competitive.
Coming off a third in the Group 2 Reisling Stakes behind Seven Veils, Ojai will have to improve is she is to win, although she is deserving of a start.
“She’s got the right formline, third in the Reisling, in a year the fillies have looked superior,” Cummings said.
“We are pleased with her condition and her training and in an even year, she deserves her chance to compete for the big purse.”