Win may send Anamoe overseas
CHAMPION Anamoe can virtually lock in an international race campaign if he wins his final Australian start in the Group 1 $5m Longines Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) at Royal Randwick on Saturday.
Anamoe has already secured Horse of the Year honours after an outstanding season where he has won seven of his eight starts including six at Group 1 level.
The Godolphin champion’s weight-for-age dominance has led to increasing speculation he will have his race career extended to include the Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes at England’s famous Royal Ascot carnival in June.
But trainer James Cummings said a Royal Ascot campaign is not confirmed for Anamoe as the Queen Elizabeth Stakes result will obviously have a bearing as well as the horse’s physical condition.
Cummings said Godolphin owner Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum has taken a particular interest in Anamoe’s emergence as Australia’s best racehorse this season.
“His Highness, Sheikh Mohammed has tremendous pride in Anamoe becoming this Group 1 winning machine,’’ Cummings said.
“He has had horses with higher Timeform ratings than Anamoe but Anamoe has been this consistent competitor and keeps racking up these Group 1 wins.
“But he is just as adamant with the long distance travel to get the horse to Europe, we must only be going to Royal Ascot if we are feeling he has another big performance in him. He’s exactly right and that’s how we are approaching it.’’
Anamoe and English raider Dubai Honour share Queen Elizabeth Stakes favouritism at $2.50 in latest TAB Fixed Odds betting.
Although Dubai Honour is expected to be advantaged with Randwick rated a Heavy 9 late on Good Friday, the big money has come for Anamoe including $10,000 at $2.50 and two bets of $3000 at $2.50.
If Anamoe does record his 10th career win in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes, then Godolphin will look more closely at keeping the champion in training for Royal Ascot.
“When we get well into May that is when we will know about Royal Ascot,’’ Cummings said.
“Anamoe needs to be fresh and vibrant, charging around and feeling dangerously well, that’s when we will know.
“He had about three months between the Mackinnon Stakes to a barrier trial at Rosehill early in his preparation when James Mcdonald rode him that morning and he said the horse trialled like he could win a Newmarket.
“If he is feeling like that in May then we will know we are in business.
“We will only take the horse there if we are really confident he is fresh and ready.
“To be up for the challenge to race against those top class horses he needs to be jumping out of his skin to do so.’’