Anamoe joins exalted Godolphin company with sixth top-level victory at Caulfield

The imperious Anamoe equalled the record number of elite-level wins for a Godolphin horse when he scored his sixth Group 1 triumph in Saturday’s Might And Power Stakes at Caulfield, on what was another dream day for Sheikh Mohammed’s racing and stallion operation in Australia this spring.

Anamoe, who won the Caulfield Guineas on the corresponding card last year, adding to his two-year-old Group 1 success in the ATC Sires’ Produce Stakes, draws level with a record that’s stood for 21 years since the US-bred Fantastic Light ended his career in 2001 with back-to-back elite-level wins over Milan and Galileo in the Breeders’ Cup Turf and Irish Champion Stakes.

Two years earlier Daylami had won his seventh Group/Grade 1 race in the Breeders’ Cup Turf, with six of those coming in the Godolphin blue. The first came in the silks of breeder the Aga Khan.

The victory which put Anamoe level with Fantastic Light and Daylami featured among four stakes successes for Godolphin on Saturday’s ten-race Caulfield card and a clean sweep of the three Group 1s for their stallions, as James Cummings’ team landed back-to-back Caulfield Guineas wins through Astern colt Golden Mile, while Tuvalu, a son of Northwood Park-based stallion Kermadec, became the third individual elite-level winner for his sire with success in the Toorak Handicap.

“It’s been an unbelievably rare day for us right across the board, from the Godolphin racing team and the wider business, and the Darley stallion business has been off the charts,” Godolphin Australia’s managing director Vin Cox told ANZ Bloodstock News.

“From that perspective, you dream of these sorts of things and it rarely comes off. It’s been one of those days where it has.”

The hottest stallion prospect in Australia, Anamoe is now unbeaten in three Group 1 starts this spring, winning the Winx Stakes first-up before cantering to success in the George Main Stakes three weeks ago.

Ridden on Saturday by James McDonald, who has been aboard for all but one of his Group 1 wins, Anamoe tracked leaders Alligator Blood and Zaaki on the outside of I’m Thunderstruck, and was made to work by his high-class rivals, with the leading duo stealing a three-length gap turning for home.

But when asked by McDonald to find his top gear, Anamoe wore down three-time Group 1 winner Zaaki before holding off the late challenge of I’m Thunderstruck to win by a neck and the same.

The entire now faces the prospect of owning the record outright when he bids to become the first winner for Godolphin in the Cox Plate at Moonee Valley in a fortnight's time, with Anamoe seeking redemption in the race following a controversial defeat last year to State Of Rest, when, despite connections alleging interference, the result was upheld in the stewards’ room.

Anamoe and State Of Rest going at it in last year's Cox PlateCredit: Vince Caligiuri

With the lure of stud duties beckoning, Cox admitted it was a tough decision to race on with Anamoe into his fourth year after stellar results at two and three, and his success this spring has come as a welcome relief to those who assessed that calculation.

“You take a deep breath when you decide to race a colt on with significant value heading into his third season,” said Cox. “It’s a chance you take and fortunately it’s working out in our favour.

“He’s had three starts as a four-year-old for three Group 1 wins, and that’s not to be sneezed at, it rarely happens.

“There are very few horses that win Group 1s at two, three and four, and he’s one of them.

“I’d love to say [he’ll be our first Cox Plate winner], but as we know it’s about hopes and dreams. The Cox Plate is his next target and we’d love to think he can win it and we look forward to the next few weeks.”

Anamoe will likely be reacquainted at Moonee Valley with many of his defeated rivals from Saturday, as he heads the market at 6-4 for the weight-for-age championship race from Zaaki (4-1) and I’m Thunderstruck (6-1). The James Ferguson-trained El Bodegon is next with British and Irish bookmakers at around 9-1.

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