A tough performance from Anaheed saw the three year old filly regain her best juvenile form with a win in the Group 3 $500,000 Catanach’s Jewellers Blue Sapphire Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield today.

Anaheed, above, was back in winning form with her victory in the 2019 Blue Sapphire Stakes at Caulfield. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.

Anaheed, above, was back in winning form with her victory in the 2019 Blue Sapphire Stakes at Caulfield. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.

Anaheed had been struggling to find her best form with only one placing from three starts this Spring Carnival campaign and was coming off a last start fifth in the Group 2 $200,000 Darley Tea Rose Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on September 21.

Damian Lane wasn’t frightened to push Anaheed into the leading division after the filly was a little slow to leave the starting gates and then settled the Peter and Paul Snowden trained filly just behind the pacesetters.

Lane was happy to stick to the fence in the straight and Anaheed ($7.50) was able to hold off all the challengers to find her way back to the winner’s stall with a one length victory.

The Ryan Balfour trained Li’L Kontra ($14) tried hard in the straight to find the runner’s up spot ahead of Brooklyn Hustle ($8) who was trying hard out wide.

Stable representative Andrew Angelone said that the immediate Spring Carnival plans for Anaheed had to be finalised by co-trainers Peter and Paul Snowden before the Fastnet Rock filly steps out again this campaign.

“I will leave that to Peter and Paul,” Angelone said.

“As long as she pulls up fine, which I am hoping she will, and we will work from there.”

“It was good to see him (Damian Lane) take that run up the inside.”

“She won that quite comfortably really and having had that bit of rain really helped.”

The disappointment of the race was the James Cummings trained Exhilarates who struggled into seventh place as the $3.30 favourite.

Today’s win was Anaheed’s fourth from ten starts and the winner’s cheque of $300,000 took the filly’s overall prizemoney earnings to $1,277,650.

About The Author

Mark Mazzaglia

Mark is a passionate journalist with a life-time involvement in the racing industry. He spent many years as an analyst and form expert at the Courier Mail and also has hands-on experience working with some of Queensland’s top trainers.