A first-up win looks all but confirmed for the Godolphin-raced Anamoe with the spring’s Cox Plate champion returning to racing in Saturday’s Group 2 $250,000 Apollo Stakes (1400m).
Cox Plate winning young gun Anamoe is the horse to beat in Randwick’s 2023 Apollo Stakes first-up on Saturday. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.
All the money is coming for the James Cummings-trained $10 million earner to win the weight-for-age first-up with Anamoe into $1.70 through Ladbrokes in their latest Apollo Stakes betting markets.
The four-year-old son of Street Boss went to another level last prep posting four consecutive Group 1 wins including the Ladbrokes Cox Plate at The Valley.
He was last seen running a credible fourth to Zaaki in Flemington’s Champions Stakes and looks a hard to beat favourite to return to winning form in easier company on the weekend.
J-Mac is back aboard the gun stallion from barrier seven and, with bigger targets on the horizon, Anamoe should fire fresh here shaking off any cobwebs.
In his last first-up run Australia’s premier galloper won the Group 1 Winx Stakes at the same track and distance, and all signs point to another winning return here.
Cummings has warned Anamoe’s rivals that the stable ace is looking “dangerously good” following a final piece of work on Tuesday morning.
“He’s going beautifully, we’ve got him just where we want him first-up with a suitable amount of improvement after the run,” the trainer told SENTrack’s Giddy Up with Gareth Hall.
“I’m very pleased with him, he’s a rare diamond that we’re looking after well.
“He’s going to be feeling very well when he gets to the track and gets off the float for the Apollo Stakes on the weekend, he’s going to be in dangerously good order.
“This preparation is all about what he can do to build on his record which is already an amazing one with the prize money that he’s amassed and the trophies that he’s collected are quite amazing.
“He gets another chance this preparation with a nicely laid out campaign to go just a little bit better.”
With a stranglehold over the Apollo Stakes field numbers-wise is five-time winning trainer Chris Waller looking to bring down Godolphin’s superstar.
Waller originally accepted for six but his contingent is down to five following the early scratching of the rails-drawn Durston.
His best fancied in the markets is returning Group 1 winning mare Fangirl ($7) who was last seen finishing second in the $10 million Golden Eagle (1500m) behind I Wish I Win last October from a wide alley at Rosehill.
She twice encountered the force that is Anamoe during the spring when runner-up in the Winx Stakes and fifth in the George Main, both at Group 1 level, over a mile.
In the money also behind Saturday’s red-hot favourite during the spring was Waller’s class import El Bodegon.
The former James Ferguson-trained European finished off the Cox Plate trifecta running third in the Australasian weight-for-age championship first-up in down under, and he returns looking to challenge again on Saturday as the $8.50 third elect.
The other Waller runners chasing an upset are Surefire ($34) first-up in gate three with Jason Collett aboard and quality mare Hinged ($15) in barrier six for jockey Brenton Avdulla.
The 2023 Apollo Stakes is scheduled as Randwick Race 8 at 4:40pm (AEDT) on Saturday’s bumper 10-race card in Sydney.
