He is already considered Australia’s best horse, but when can we start to label Anamoe the world’s best racehorse?
Expect that conversation to ramp up if Anamoe continues his winning ways through the Sydney autumn, especially if a few European and Japanese imports pop up in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes.
The Godolphin champ was too good in the Apollo Stakes at Randwick on Saturday and will now follow the Winx blueprint of the Chipping Norton Stakes, George Ryder Stakes and Queen Elizabeth. Royal Ascot awaits thereafter.
Learning To Fly takes out the Inglis Millennium.Credit:Getty
Trainer James Cummings stopped short of describing Anamoe as the best horse on the planet but was happy to revisit that debate later in the year before he went to stud.
“We’ll give him an opportunity to prove something in the middle of the year when it comes to that; he might even get that chance in April if a couple of imports come here [for The Championships],” Cummings said.
Jockey James McDonald, who also regularly steers Nature Strip, which is the equal top-rating horse in the world still racing, said of Anamoe: “He’d be in the top ten in the world, maybe top five. He’s a fantastic miler. He’s the most valuable commodity in Australia, and every time you go around there’s huge expectation and pride that goes with it. He just seems to get the job done more times than not.”
It was a fantastic 40 minutes for Godolphin. In Secret won on return and has the group 1 Surround Stakes at her mercy in a fortnight.
So who gets the Ferrari?
Trainer Annabel Neasham did not know which way to look during the final stages of the $2m Inglis Millennium (1200m).
Learning To Fly was making a late surge to the line to win but stablemate Dorothy Gail was tightened for room back in the ruck and tossed jockey Tom Marquand to the turf.
Neasham set off down the track to check on Marquand while connections celebrated the win. Part of the prize is a flashy new Ferrari, which the owners of Kia Ora Stud will need to fight over. It is unclear if the car will still be insured if parked at Warwick Farm for the sales this week.
“That was pretty horrible. He’s sitting up and holding his shoulder, but he’s OK, he’s conscious . . . you win a race but your friend and rider is down on the track,” Neasham said.
“The [winner] is special. I’ll have to watch it again because my eyes were split.”
Learning To Fly, which was a $900,000 filly and won her only other career start, kept coming to the line and will target the Sweet Embrace Stakes but more likely the Reisling Stakes a week later en route to the Golden Slipper.
Marquand escaped with concussion and a shoulder injury, while Josh Parr received a 20-meeting suspension for causing the fall.
Punter keeps punting
Cricket legend Ricky Ponting was a guest of Inglis on Saturday but was happy to tell The Mail about a few of his punting stories.
For starters, it was the late, great Shane Warne who gave Ponting his nickname “Punter”.
The pair attended the Cricket Academy together in Adelaide, where they used to receive a $40 monthly allowance, and Ponting, then only 14 or 15, knew “there was a way I could turn that money into a little bit more”.
“Monday they raced at Launceston, Tuesday at Devonport, Thursday Hobart, and I’d sneak down to the pub and have a couple of dollars each-way on the dogs,” Ponting said.
Winx was his favourite horse, while Ponting’s standout memory on the punt was the night before he flew out for the 1997 Ashes.
“I had two dogs racing in Hobart on a Thursday night. I was flying out for the Ashes on the Friday, one dog was favourite, the other was around $26 or $27,” Ponting said.
“I backed the roughie in the race and she won. Her name was Josie’s Joy. We brought home a pocket full of cash, which I ended up taking to England.”
Ponting’s Wines are partners with Inglis, and the former Test captain revealed that a decent shipment was exported to India on Friday.
Spotted
Prominent owner Neil Werrett, of Black Caviar fame, with his arm in a sling after a skiing accident in Canada. At least he still has his left arm to raise for any bids at this week’s classic sale.
O’Shea keeps it in family
John O’Shea produced a nice two-year-old winner in the Randwick opener, Cafe Millennium, which let down brilliantly for Marquand and will now eye the Skyline Stakes.
Those who love their breeding would have noted Cafe Millennium was out of the mare Veloce Forte, which also won her first start when trained by O’Shea. O’Shea had high hopes for the horse but had to hand her over after the one run because he had taken on the top job at Godolphin.
O’Shea brought up a double with Quantico, now a winner of seven of his 12 career starts and whose long-term target will be the Stradbroke.
Secret’s out
James Cummings described In Secret as a “very, very good filly” after her excellent return win in the Light Fingers Stakes (1200m).
Nash Rawiller got the best out of the three-year-old late after she spotted cheeky leader Cinderella Days a good start a fair way up the straight.
“With that win under her belt, she’ll keep going forward,” Cummings said.
“There’s the group 1 Surround Stakes over seven furlongs (1400m) in two weeks, and it would be great to see her flourish the next fortnight ahead of that target.”
A group of punters thanked Rawiller with one yelling out: “I’m shaving my head for you, Nash.”
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