Anamoe seeks redemption in Cox Plate

Anamoe had a rough outing in the Group 1 Cox Plate at Moonee Valley Racecourse in Australia last October, losing by a short head after being carried out by winner State of Rest in the final strides.

A 25-minute objection did not change the outcome in what turned out to be Anamoe’s final start of a 2021 season that included two Group 1 wins.

This year, Anamoe has four Group 1 wins in Australia and will be favored to secure a fifth in Saturday’s $3.13 million Cox Plate at 1 1/4 miles in Melbourne. The Cox Plate is Australia’s leading weight-for-age race.

The form of last year’s Cox Plate was very strong. Verry Elleegant finished third and won the Group 1 Melbourne Cup in her next start. State of Rest, trained by Joseph O’Brien of Ireland, was retired in August after a successful spring campaign that included two Group 1 wins in Europe.

Anamoe does not have any foreign-trained rivals in a field of 12 in the Cox Plate. In a strong field, 11 have raced in Australia in recent months.

El Bodegon, now trained in Sydney by Chris Waller, was second in the Group 1 French Derby earlier this year, and has not raced since he finished third of six in the Group 2 Great Voltigeur Stakes for Northern Hemisphere 3-year-olds at about 1 1/2 miles at York Racecourse in England in Aug. 17.

Anamoe, a 4-year-old Street Boss colt, races for Godolphin Racing and trainer James Cummings, and has won 10 of 19 starts.

In early betting on Wednesday, Anamoe was the 8-5 favorite for the Cox Plate on the strength of three consecutive Group 1 races since late August – the Winx Stakes at seven furlongs, George Main Stakes at a mile, and Caulfield Stakes at 1 1/4 miles on Oct. 8.

In each race, Anamoe has attended the pace and taken the lead in the final sixteenth under jockey James McDonald, who has the mount in the Cox Plate.

In the Caulfield Stakes, Anamoe finished about a neck in front of I’m Thunderstruck, with Zaaki third by slightly less than a half-length. They are two of Anamoe’s main rivals in the Cox Plate along with Gold Trip, who was second by a head in the Group 1 Caulfield Cup, a handicap at 1 1/2 miles at Caulfield Racecourse in Melbourne last Saturday.

Zaaki was the 7-2 second choice in early betting on Wednesday.

The Cox Plate is the ninth race on a 10-race program that begins at 9:15 p.m. Eastern or 6:15 p.m. on Friday across American time zones.

In the race preceding the Cox Plate, the 6-year-old gelding Persan may be favored over Francesco Guardi in the Group 2 Moonee Valley Gold Cup at 1 9/16 miles, a $626,300 prep for the Melbourne Cup on Nov. 1.

Persan, 20th of 23 in the 2021 Melbourne Cup, is winless in four starts this year, including a fourth by 1 1/2 lengths in the Group 2 Herbert Power Stakes at 1 1/2 miles at Caulfield on Oct. 8.