Godolphin’s superstar Anamoe took his Group 1 tally to five in Saturday’s $1,000,000 Fujitsu General George Main Stakes (1600m) at Randwick.
Given a positive ride by James McDonald, the 4yo son of Street Boss (USA) won with a minimum of fuss from the perennial placegetter Ice Bath (Sacred Falls), with a further half-length back to Hinged (Worthy Cause) in third.
James Cummings said he could not be happier with Anamoe, who was coming off a first-up win in the Group 1 Winx Stakes (1400m) at Randwick.
“He has come back in fine order,” Cummings said.
“He’s just a wonderful horse.
“He (McDonald) understands the horse well; he’s riding in great form.
“He allowed him to cruise up. He just idled a bit outside the lead, but they looked to have gone pretty steadily early, and they’ve really ramped it up coming home.
“That’s going to be the perfect stepping stone for him, and he’s been able to pick up two important weight-for-age Group 1s. He keeps lifting his value and profile and gets more attention on him, which is very fitting for a wonderful horse.
“He’s very economical in his action. He’s the alpha male in his demeanour.
“He is the king of his own box; his box is his kingdom. Same for a paddock that we put him in, but he can have a pick of grass after a gallop and look like Nijinsky after the Arc or Dancing Brave after one of the classics.
“He’s a beautiful horse to have anything to do with and it’s just a privilege for us to be racing a horse like Anamoe for His Highness Sheikh Mohammed and he’s a very promising horse for our whole operation.”
Anamoe finished second to State Of Rest in the WS Cox Plate last year and McDonald believes he is a better horse now.
“He’s a star. He’s so adaptable now. He’s a pleasure to ride and as soon as you hop on he oozes confidence," McDonald said.
“You know where you’re going to be. He hops away and goes to sleep. He conserves energy like no other horse. He does enough to get past them and he’ll do enough to hold them at bay.
“I don’t know where he’s targeted. He’s obviously got options. The Golden Eagle and stuff like that, so we’ll see where they’ll want to place him, and I’m sure they’ll place him to the best of his ability and he’s got plenty of ability. It doesn’t matter where he goes.
“He’s just so economical and I think that’s the beauty of a top-class horse on display. You know you can do anything with them and they overcome hurdles.”
Anamoe advances his record to nine wins, five seconds, and two thirds from 18 starts with earnings of $583,3275.
Anamoe is a half-brother to Irish stakes-winner Anamba (Shamardal) and is the best of four winners from six to race out of the Group I SAJC Australasian Oaks winner Anamato.
A half-sister by champion sire Redoute's Choice to Group I winner Drum, Anamato has a black-type pedigree that features Group I winners Grand Armee, Yourdeel and Dealer Principal.
Anamato started her stud career in the Northern Hemisphere before repatriating in 2014.
The daughter of Redoute's Choice has a yearling filly foal by Blue Point (IRE) but missed to Street Boss (USA) last spring.
