Anamoe has capped an outstanding afternoon for Godolphin, providing the Royal Blue army with its fourth black-type win of the day with his bullish return in the Apollo Stakes at Randwick.
Godolphin had earlier claimed the two Blue Diamond Preludes in Melbourne with Barber and Exploring and the Light Fingers Stakes in Sydney with In Secret before Anamoe added the icing to the cake.
“It has been a killer day,” Godolphin head trainer James Cummings said.
“They weren’t the biggest races of all time today but it was important to get their autumn campaigns off to a good start.
“Four stakes wins is a great day.”
The Cox Plate winner in the spring, Anamoe ($1.60 neds.com.au fav) gave every indication he was in for another wonderful campaign, making the most of his tactical speed to camp on the backs of the leaders before pouncing in the straight.
He scored by three-quarters of a length over leader Hinged ($14), who fought on doggedly, with her stablemate Fangirl ($8.50) hitting the line stylishly, another long neck away third.
“It was a proper weight for age race wasn’t it?” Cummings said.
“He just comes back better again, a mature horse. He sweated up on a hot day, twleve months ago he wasn’t handling that but today he handled that far better.”
Cummings confirmed Anamoe would have his next start in the Chipping Norton Stakes with an international campaign in Europe still firmly on Godolphin’s radar after the autumn.
James Mcdonald was likewise glowing in his assessment of Anamoe’s return and said while the horse had lost some of the brilliance of his younger days, he was now the complete package.
“He’s a phenomenal horse and the reason being he’s got an amazing demeanor and conserves energy in the race like no horse I’ve ever ridden,” McDonald said.
“He doesn’t spend a penny. As a two-year-old he used to have a wow factor, putting a field away, but as these stallions get older, he’s lost that.”
Icebath made a super return to finish fourth while stayer Arapaho was also bold, sticking on gamely to be beaten just 2-1/2 lengths.