Anamoe is after atonement and is well-backed to do so when last year’s runner-up returns as the gun favourite in Saturday’s Group 1 $5 million Ladbrokes Cox Plate (2040m).
Anamoe is tipped to atone for his close second last year in Saturday’s 2022 Ladbrokes Cox Plate at The Valley. Photo: Steve Hart.
The Godolphin-raced son of Street Boss was runner-up by the narrowest of margins behind Irish raider State Of Rest after an unsuccessful and lengthy protest against the Cox Plate winner last spring.
He came into last year’s race a last start Group 1 winner in the Caulfield Guineas as a three-year-old and returns in even hotter form this season.
Since the Cox Plate in 2021 Anamoe has posted a further four Group 1 victories including his last three on the trot this prep.
He travelled to Melbourne after completing Sydney’s Winx Stakes – George Main Stakes double and was too good for his rivals in the Group 1 Might And Power Stakes (2000m) last time out in a key Cox Plate lead-up.
The money is on the now four-year-old to continue his winning streak on Saturday at Moonee Valley in the ‘race where champions are made’.
The latest Cox Plate betting markets at race sponsor Ladbrokes have Anamoe, to be ridden by hoop of the hour James McDonald, on top at $2.40 following his ideal barrier four draw.
The danger at current Cox Plate odds of $4.40 is the Annabel Neasham-trained Zaaki.
Zaaki was scratched the morning of last year due to an elevated temperature in a huge blow for connections of the pre-race favourite.
He has had nine starts since finishing top three in all of them, and he has in fact not been out of the money since April last year.
The evergreen import was third in last year’s Might And Power Stakes and repeated that feat this year when only a quarter length off Anamoe ahead of their sure-to-be heated rematch on the weekend.
Neasham launches a three-pronged attack on the Cox Plate field this year with Zaaki joined by outsider hopes Mo’unga ($31) and last start Toorak Handicap runner-up at a big price Laws Of Indices ($26).
Adding another level of intrigue in the race this year having his maiden run on Australian soil is the Chris Waller-trained import El Bodegon ($7) in gate eight for jockey Damien Oliver.
Waller famously won the Cox Plate four years running with the historical effort of his mighty mare Winx (2015-18) and returns with a genuine winning chance again in 2022.
Kodiac four-year-old El Bodegon has had nine runs overseas for three wins and five other minor placings in some of Europe’s top races when prepared by James Ferguson.
He boasts a victory in the Group 1 Criterium De Saint-Cloud in France earlier in his career, is proven on Heavy going and will appreciate the predicted rainfall at The Valley ahead of Cox Plate Day.
I’m Thunderstruck on the back of his eye-catching second in the Might And Power is also being kept safe at $13 to turn the tables on Anamoe in Saturday’s Australasian weight-for-age championship.
The five-year-old son of Shocking has been ultra-consistent this prep, including posting a Flemington win in the Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m), but his 2000m ability is the query here.
The 2022 Ladbrokes Cox Plate is scheduled as Moonee Valley Race 8 on Saturday’s card.
