Australia: Anamoe seeks third straight Group 1 on all-stakes card at Caulfield

The last three weeks have been an eventful time for the Australian star older horse Anamoe.

Anamoe won his fifth Group 1 in the George Main Stakes at a mile at Royal Randwick in Sydney on Sept. 17, but was judged to be lame by track stewards after the race.

The 4-year-old has improved sufficiently to be entered in the Group 1 Might and Power Stakes at 1 1/4 miles at Caulfield Racecourse in Melbourne on Friday evening across American time zones.

Owned by Godolphin Racing and trained by James Cummings, Anamoe was 8-5 in early betting on Thursday to win his third consecutive Group 1 race. James McDonald has the mount on the colt by Street Boss, who has won 9 of 18 starts.

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The $640,500 Might and Power Stakes, which drew a field of eight, is a prep for another Group 1 race – the $3.2 million Cox Plate at about 1 1/4 miles at Moonee Valley on Oct. 22. The Cox Plate is Australia’s leading distance race for older horses.

Alligator Blood, Zaaki, and I’m Thunderstruck, who were first, third, and fourth in the Group 1 Underwood Stakes at Sandown Racecourse in Melbourne on Sept. 25, pose the most significant threats to Anamoe.

The Might and Power Stakes is the first of three consecutive Group 1 races on a 10-race all-stakes program at Caulfield that begins at 9:15 p.m. Eastern or 6:15 p.m. Pacific. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.

The Godolphin, Cummings, and McDonald team have the favorite for the $1.92 million Caulfield Guineas for 3-year-olds at a mile in Golden Mile, a winner of 2 of 4 starts. Golden Mile was 2-1 in early betting on Friday in a field of 16.

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Golden Mile was fourth in the Group 1 Golden Rose Stakes at seven furlongs at Rosehill Gardens in Sydney on Sept. 24, leading narrowly in the stretch before being beaten by about 1 1/2 lengths.

The Caulfield Guineas will be Golden Mile’s first start at a mile. The highly rated Berkeley Square, winner of the Exford Plate Stakes at seven furlongs at Flemington on Sept. 10, will start at the distance for the first time in his Group 1 debut.

Tijuana, who was 8-1 as of Thursday, won at a mile in the Group 2 Stutt Stakes at Moonee Valley on Sept. 23, his third win in his fifth start.

The strongest favorite in the Caulfield Group 1 races may be I Wish I Win, who starts in the $640,500 Toorak Handicap against 15 rivals. I Wish I Win, who was 7-5 as of Thursday, is a New Zealand-bred who won his first two starts in Australia in August and September.

A longshot to follow is Uncle Bryn, who was second by three-quarters of a length in the Group 3 Federation Cup at 1 1/4 miles on Sept. 17 at Caulfield, and has won twice in his 12-race career at a mile. He was 16-1 on Thursday.

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