OPINION: All aboard the latest Godolphin Hype Train: ANAMOE

By Jack McInerney –

I think its safe to say that in racing, every few years a GODOLPHIN HYPE TRAIN lurches into motion surrounding the future exploits of a talented young horse in the stable.

The last Godolphin horse I can remember having said hype and hysteria around what it could POTENTIALLY do was a son of Lonhro called KEMENTARI, aka CATMENTARI by detractors!

The story of Kementari has been told many times but its safe to say he never even got close to living up to the hype going on a winless streak that lasted from March 2018 to December 2020 where he won a low Group3 in West Australia called the A J Scahill Stakes.

Now for the next HYPE BEAST, I introduce to you, the Son of Sire Street Boss out of Redoutes Choice mare Anamato, ANAMOE.

Anamoe burst onto the scene on debut at Caulfield on 10th October in the Listed Grade Debutant Stakes over 1000 Metres, after navigating a chequered passage in the straight the horse went to the line under hands and heels from D.Oliver, running 5th, finishing 2.95 Lengths off the winner FAKE LOVE.

After his rather nondescript debut where he never really seemed tested, Anamoe would stamp himself as a potential star of the future when at his second start of his career he lined up as $5 second Favourite in the Listed Grade Merson Cooper stakes at Sandown Hillside.

After being asked for an effort heading into the bend it almost appeared that Anamoe was in reverse but at the 300m mark Oliver peeled him out and asked him for a supreme effort and he set out after the $2.90Fav FORBES who had well and truly gone for home. With 200 to go Anamoe was still about 2.5-3 lengths off Forbes and ended up nailing it on the line winning by 0.1 Lengths in a thrilling finish courtesy of a withering burst by Anamoe that had to be seen to be believed.

After his win the Merson Cooper, Anamoe was sent for a quick 2.5 month break and returned in the new year on 6th February 2021 in the Blue Diamond Prelude when after again appearing under the pump before the turn flashed home under the urgings of D.Oliver to very nearly nab GENERAL BEAU on the line going down by 0.1 Lengths in what some called a misjudged ride, or maybe that was the intention, we will never know.

At his next start, his fourth ever start in a race he was sent out a $6 pop in the prestigious Blue Diamond Stakes rising 100 metres in trip to 1200, from the 1100 of the Prelude.

Come race day and again he seemed almost uninterested but scythed home under Oliver for third behind stablemate INGRATIATING and the seemingly prodigious winner, ARTORIOUS.

Going off his run in the Blue Diamond it was touted by many that the further the races went the better Anamoe would go, and being out of an Oaks Winner the touts were making sense, for once.

Interestingly, James Cummings kept Anamoe at the 1200m distance for his next two starts, one where he beat another brief Hype Beast in PROFITEER in the Group2 Todman Stakes and another where he ran third in Golden Slipper with an eye catching run that could be more accurately described as literally tearing your eyes of out of your skull as he covered that much ground in the home straight, with little R.King struggling to keep him running straight. Surely, a step up in trip beckoned off the Slipper run.

His next run, his 7th of his short career was in the Group1 Sires Produce, stepping up 200 metres from his 2 previous runs to the 1400 Metre trip.

Its safe to say it was more of a working gallop for Anamoe who, once balanced after coming around the bend just ambled up to them and won easily by 2.8 Lengths courtesy of an ice cold ride by James McDonald.

Upon reflection I think it’s safe to say that the hype surrounding Anamoe is warranted as he does appear to have that X factor as they say due to his nothing short of blistering speed late in a race. He holds 3 nominations for future races, them being:

1. The Golden Rose, a race over 1400m which he is the even $4.50 Favourite with Golden Slipper winner STAY INSIDE.
2. The Caulfield Guineas, a race over 1600m where he is the current $6 Favourite.
3. The Cox Plate, a race over 2040m where he is currently $13 third Favourite behind ZAAKI and VERRY ELLEEGANT.

The first of these 3 will be The Golden Rose run on September 25th. The field is set to be nothing short of tantalising with names such as STAY INSIDE, CONVERGE, REMARQUE, ARTORIOUS, INGRATIATING, PAULELE & Kiwi SWORD OF STATE.

All eyes will be trained on Rosehill Gardens come Saturday September 25th to see if the latest Godolphin Hype Train ANAMOE will depart from the station in The Golden Rose.

I think it will and it will be an express train to the Cox Plate via the Caulfield Guineas. If he does get a start in the Cox Plate with the 49.5kg ,with even luck it could be all over.

We will have to wait and see.