Anamoe lives up to hype with impressive Guineas victory
Son of Street Boss adds second Group 1 to his glittering record at Caulfield
Godolphin’s Anamoe (3 c Street Boss – Anamato by Redoute’s Choice) once again showed he is one the most exciting horses in training when he added a second top-flight victory to his burgeoning CV in yesterday’s Caulfield Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m), further enhancing his future as a top-line stallion.
The son of Darley’s shuttle stallion Street Boss (Street Cry) came into his Classic season with a high-class reputation to uphold, having landed the ATC Sires’ Produce Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m), Todman Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) and Merson Cooper Stakes (Listed, 1000m) as a two-year-old, while he also finished second in the Golden Slipper Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) last season.
The James Cummings-trained colt got his three-year-old career off to the perfect start, winning the Run To The Rose (Gr 2, 1200m), before hitting a slight bump in the road when being narrowly beaten by In The Congo (Snitzel) on his previous start in the Golden Rose Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) on September 25.
Breaking well from his wide barrier under Damien Oliver, the colt raced towards the back of the field, three wide off the fence. As they straightened, Anamoe flew past the pack, gaining the lead with 50 metres to travel, eventually beating Champagne Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m) winner Captivant (Capitalist) by half a length.
Blue Diamond Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) scorer Artorius (Flying Artie) came with a strong run from the back of a field to finish another three-quarters of a length further away in third.
There had been much debate ahead of the Group 1 regarding how Oliver would overcome barrier 13 and the winning jockey said afterwards that the race had panned out just the way he had hoped.
“I was hoping to find the back of Captivant,” Oliver said.
“He’s a good horse and he could take me into the race three-wide with cover. It doesn’t always work out the way you want it, but it did today.
“He’s a nice momentum building horse and he was able to unleash a good finish down the outside.”
Oliver has a long association with the Cummings family, having ridden Group 1s for both Cummings’ father Anthony and his grandfather Bart.
“I rode my first Group 1 for his (James) grandfather Bart here on Submariner in the Sir Rupert Clarke and I’ve ridden Group 1s for his father Anthony, and now James as well,” Oliver said.
“It’s good to do it for three generations. It’s a great thrill to win a big race for Godolphin.
“They’ve been great supporters over the last 12 months and there’s a great team behind them with Reg (Fleming) and Sean (Keogh) down here in Melbourne and James has certainly given us a lot of support down here as well.”
Anamoe holds a nomination of the Cox Plate (Gr 1, 2040m) in two weeks’ time and Oliver said he did not think the Group 1 would be out of the colt’s range.
“I wouldn’t put it beyond him. He’s a big strong colt. He relaxes well,” he said.
“I’m sure the team will have a discussion about that. He’s certainly got the right temperament for it and he’s a lovely horse.”
Should Anamoe take his chance in the Cox Plate, connections would have to look for another partner for the three-year-old with 49.5 kilograms well outside Oliver’s weight range. The jockey has also been booked to ride European import Gold Trip (Outstrip) in the Moonee Valley showpiece.
Bred and raced by Godolphin, Anamoe is out of 2007 SAJC Australasian Oaks (Gr 1, 2000m) victor Anamato (Redoute’s Choice), whose three other winners are headed by Irish Listed winner Anamba (Shamardal).
Anamato herself is a half-sister to 1996 Oakleigh Plate (Gr 1, 1150m) winner Drum (Marauding) and stakes scorer Port Watch (Star Watch). Her other half-sister, Tambour (Marauding), produced the multiple Group 1 winner Grand Armee (Hennessy).
Further back this is also the same family as Group 1 winners Dealer Principal (Flying Spur) and Yourdeel (Dundeel), as well as Group 2 scorer Sedanzer (Sebring) and Group 3-winning duo Broadband (Sebring) and Laburnum (Denman).
Anamato’s unraced two-year-old colt – Dartboard – is by Street Boss’ barnmate Shooting To Win (Northern Meteor) – who landed the 2014 edition of the Caulfield Guineas. The mare missed to Kermadec (Teofilo) the following season and has most recently been covered by Darley Stud shuttler Blue Point (Sharmadal).
Street Boss has sired 55 individual stakes winners, with Anamoe being one of three Group 1 winners for the stallion in Australia and eight elite-level winners overall. The son of Street Cry (Machiavellian) is standing at Darley’s Kelvinside base for a fee of $55,000 (inc GST), up from $27,500 (inc GST) in 2020.
The day Anamoe landed the Sires’ Produce Stakes, Godolphin also unearthed another future star when Paulele (3 c Dawn Approach – Chatoyant by Flying Spur) took out the Kindergarten Stakes (Gr 3, 1100m) and that colt’s star continued to shine yesterday as he added the Roman Consul Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) at Randwick to his record.
In winning the Group 2, the three-year-old has put himself bang into the picture to secure Godolphin’s slot for next Saturday’s Everest (1200m), with the breeding powerhouse likely to choose him or their other top-line sprinter Trekking (Street Cry), who finished third in the 2019 edition of the $15 million race and fourth last year.
Ridden by James McDonald, the colt made light of his rivals yesterday, gliding to the front half way up the straight to post an easy length and a half victory over Gleneagles (Capitalist) with King Of Sparta (I Am Invincible) another neck away in third.
Paulele came into the contest having finished second in the Heritage Stakes (Listed, 1100m), beaten that day by Home Affairs (I Am Invincible) and that colt was confirmed yesterday as Coolmore’s pick for their slot in the Everest.
Cummings was unwilling to commit Paulele to a start in the Everest yesterday and said Godolphin would also consider the Coolmore Stud Stakes (registered as Ascot Vale Stakes) (Gr 1, 1200m) and the Manikato Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) for the colt.
“I think it’s worthwhile giving it a lot of thought. But there are other options too,” Cummings said.
“He’d be competitive in The Everest on the seven-day back-up I’m sure. The Manikato is (also) an option for him and so is the Coolmore because the winner of this race, it tends to be a very good lead up to the Coolmore every year. They always run well.
“He’s knocking on the door to be a potential Group 1 horse so that’s for us to consider.”
McDonald will ride the Chris Waller-trained Nature Strip (Nicconi) in next weekend’s Randwick sprint and is aware of the threat Paulele could pose should he take his chance in the 1200-metre contest.
“He’ll be hard to beat, that’s for sure,” the jockey said. “He’s a lovely horse and I’ve always touted him as one. I thought he should have won last start, just how the race was run, the leader got away with a cheap sectional and just dashed away on firm ground.
“But today, back to Randwick where he is able to wind up, he’s put in some good splits.”
Paulele is out of four time-winning Flying Spur (Danehill) mare Chatoyant, making him a half-brother to Group 3 winner Tessera (Medaglia D’Oro), while he is a three-quarter brother to fellow Group 3 winner Montsegur (New Approach), who in turn produced Group 3 scorer Heresy (Street Boss).
Chatoyant has produced seven winners in total and she herself is out of dual-winning mare Decidity (Last Tycoon), making her a three-quarter sister to 2014 Myer Classic (registered as Empire Rose Stakes) (Gr 1, 1600m) winner Bonaria (Redoute’s Choice) and Group 3-winning duo Time Out (Rory’s Jester) and Legally Bay (Snippets).
Legally Bay herself produced dual Group 1 winner and now Coolmore Stud-based first-season sire Merchant Navy (Fastnet Rock), Group 2 scorer Jolie Bay (Fastnet Rock) and stakes winner Setanta (Fastnet Rock). She is also the dam of Bayrock (Fastnet Rock) who produced Listed winner Hindaam (Savabeel).
Retired from broodmare duties this year, Chatoyant slipped to Hallowed Crown (Street Sense) in 2019, before foaling a filly by Exosphere (Lonhro) last year.
Dawn Approach (New Approach) shuttled to Australia for five seasons, but did not return in 2018 and he has enjoyed his best year in the breeding barn in Europe, siring the top–class Jim Bolger-trained three-year-old Poetic Flare – winner of the English 2,000 Guineas (Gr 1, 1m) and St James’s Palace Stakes (Gr 1, 1m).
Former Darley resident Dawn Approach was bred by Bolger and he now stands at the Bolger family’s Redmondstown Stud for a private fee.
Deep Impact’s legacy lives on through Profondo
The Richard Litt-trained Profondo (3 c Deep Impact – Honesty Prevails by Redoute’s Choice) made headlines as a yearling when he was purchased by his owners Galletta Construction for a whopping $1.9 million at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale in 2019 and yesterday he justified that hefty price-tag when running out an easy winner of the Spring Champion Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m) at Randwick.
In landing the Group 1, the colt became the 52nd individual elite–level winner for Japan’s late champion sire Deep Impact (Sunday Silence), once again highlighting the indelible void the son of Sunday Silence (Halo) left in the industry when he prematurely died in 2019.
Unraced as a two-year-old, the colt’s rise through the ranks has been a swift one since breaking his maiden over 1400 metres at Randwick Kensington on September 1, and then finishing second in the Gloaming Stakes (Gr 3, 1800m) on September 25.
Robbie Dolan – who was enjoying his first Group 1 win – settled his mount outside the leader, last-start Flight Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m) Never Been Kissed (Tivaci), in the early stages of the 2000-metre contest. After soaring into the lead after the turn, the three-year-old pulled clear to hit the line two and a quarter lengths ahead of Never Been Kissed with Alegron (Teofilo) another half a length away in third.
In doing so, Profondo provided Litt with his third Group 1 win, with the now Arrowfield Stud-based sire Castelvecchio (Dundeel) the source of his first two, when he landed the Champagne Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m) and Rosehill Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) in 2019 and 2020 respectively. Castelvecchio also finished second in the 2019 edition of the Spring Champion Stakes, before going on to finish second in the Cox Plate (Gr 1, 2040m) on his next start.
However, Litt said the colt would not follow that path and would instead head to the paddock and be prepared for an autumn campaign, which could include tilts at the Rosehill Guineas and Queen Elizabeth Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m).
“He’s left me speechless. We’ve had two wonderful weeks with him. We have come here today, he was very relaxed and gee, the world is his oyster,” the winning trainer said.
“He will go to the paddock now I think. He will have a nice spell and we are going to have a big attack come the autumn.
“He’s got some amazing races coming up. He’s very exciting.”
Meanwhile, Dolan, who was visibly emotional after the victory, was quick to heap praise on Litt and the Galletta family for keeping him on the colt, despite the plethora of other jockeys queuing up for the ride on the classy three-year-old.
“He’s a machine. He should have won the last day, I’ll take all the badness with that,” the jockey said.
“I pulled the stick through. I panicked a little bit. For the owners to keep me on him today is a token of how nice a people they are.
“He’s tricky to ride and Richard has done an amazing job with the horse. To get him to win a Group 1 in his first couple of starts is insane.
“I was absolutely cruising at the 400 metres going past a Group 1 winner (Never Been Kissed) and nothing was catching me.
“I came here five years ago with a school bag on my back, just trying to ride a few winners.
“My dad sits up and watches every race I ride in. It doesn’t matter if it’s bloody out in the country or in the city. He watches it.
“He’s up there (in Ireland) probably having a cup of tea now. I’d say the neighbours will know I rode a winner.”
Bred and sold by Arrowfield Stud, Profondo is the first and only winner out of 2016 Widden Stakes (Gr 3, 1100m) winner Honesty Prevails.
Further back the colt shares a page with stakes-winning trio Thumping (Any Given Sunday), Midnight Watch (Stormy Atlantic) and Fully Vested (Discreet Cat).
In 2019, Honesty Prevails produced a colt by Arrowfield Stud shuttler Shalaa (Invincible Spirit) and he was purchased by James Harron for $1.15 million at last year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale and last year she produced a colt by Dundeel (High Chaparral), before missing to Written Tycoon (Iglesia) this season.
Honesty Prevails becomes the 23rd daughter of Redoute’s Choice (Danehill) to produce a Group 1 winner and his incredible ability as broodmare sire also came to the fore in the Caulfield Guineas, with Anamoe, who is also out of a daughter of Arrowfield’s late breed-shaping sire, as was the third-placed horse Artorius (Flying Artie).
Daughters of Redoute’s Choice produced four stakes winners yesterday, with Debutant Stakes (Listed, 1000m) winner Kiki Express (Sepoy) and Angst Stakes (Gr 3, 1600m) scorer Mirra Vision (Lonhro) also being out of mares by the son of Danehill (Danzig), which saw his total individual stakes winners as a broodmare sire swell to 125.
Meanwhile, Deep Impact is the sire of 177 individual stakes winners overall and Profondo becomes his fourth Group 1 winner in Australia, joining Real Impact and Australian-based sire sons Fierce Impact and Tosen Stardom, who stand at Levena Park and Woodside Park respectively, while another of his Group 1-winning sons – Saxon Warrior – shuttles to Coolmore Stud in the Hunter Valley.
The stallion’s statistics in Australia make for very impressive reading. He is the sire of 19 winners from 35 runners, while his stakes winners to runners rate fires at an incredible 10.9 per cent.