Australia: Anamoe named Australian Horse of the Year

The 5-year-old Anamoe was named Australian Horse of the Year for the 2022-2023 season at a ceremony last Thursday for a campaign that included six Group 1 wins.

Owned by Godolphin Racing and trained by James Cummings, Anamoe was retired to stud in Australia earlier this year.

Anamoe won four consecutive Group 1 races at the beginning of the season from late August to late October of 2022, and two more Group 1 races in February and March of this year. He also won a Group 2 sprint in February as part of a nine-race campaign in the season that included seven wins.

Anamoe finished third in the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Royal Randwick Racecourse in Sydney in April in his final career start.

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During his championship season, Anamoe won stakes at distances ranging from seven furlongs to about 1 1/4 miles. The most prestigious win was the Group 1 Cox Plate, Australia’s leading weight-for-age race. The $3.13 million Cox Plate is run at about 1 1/4 miles at Moonee Valley Racecourse in Melbourne.

Anamoe won 14 of 25 starts in his career. He was also honored as champion middle-distance horse for the 2022-2023 season, which ran from Aug. 1 to July 31.

In other championships, Giga Kick was honored as champion 3-year-old and champion sprinter, while In Secret was recognized as champion 3-year-old filly.

Shinzo was champion 2-year-old, a category that does not differentiate between males and fillies in Australia. Gold Trip, winner of the Group 1 Melbourne Cup at two miles in November 2022, was recognized as champion stayer.

Monday preview

For a 7-year-old gelding, China Grove has showed renewed enthusiasm in Australia in recent months.

After winning 2 of 38 starts from April 2020 to June of this year, China Grove has won 3 of 7 starts since early September.

The recent success may not be over. China Grove is the second choice in early betting to win his second consecutive race this month in a seven-furlong handicap at Tamworth Racecourse on Monday evening.

China Grove won a one-mile handicap at Quirindi Racecourse on Nov. 16, ending a two-race losing streak. Sent off at 7-1, he set the pace and won by a short head. In his three recent wins, China Grove led or raced near the front.

At Tamworth, China Grove is part of a field of 11 led by Aarkus, who is winless in his last five starts, but will face an easier field at Tamworth than in recent starts.

Aarkus, a winner of 2 of 10 starts, tends to run from off the pace. Both of his wins have been at six furlongs.

Tamworth has a seven-race program beginning at 9:50 p.m. Eastern or 6:50 p.m. Pacific. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.

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