Australia: Anamoe takes Cox Plate for fifth Group I win of year

Anamoe won his fifth Group 1 race of 2022, and by far his most important, in Saturday’s $3.13 million Cox Plate at Moonee Valley Racecourse in Melbourne, Australia, the country’s leading weight-for-age race.

Second in a controversial running of the 2021 Cox Plate, there was no drama this year that needed attention from track stewards.

Ridden by James McDonald, Anamoe was fourth for the first mile of the race at about 1 1/4 miles, stalking pacesetter Zaaki. Anamoe ($4.40) rallied four-wide around the final turn to take the lead in the stretch, and was fully extended to hold off a fast-closing I’m Thunderstruck (10-1).

Anamoe won by slightly less than a half-length over I’m Thunderstruck, who was a neck in front of 5-1 El Bodegon in an outstanding field of 12.

El Bodegon, second in the French Derby in June, had his Australian debut in the Cox Plate.

Anamoe, trained by James Cummings for Godolphin Racing, has won 11 of 20 starts, including four consecutive Group 1 races since he returned to racing in August after a four-month layoff during the Southern Hemisphere winter.

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The first three races of the winning streak were the Winx Stakes at seven furlongs at Royal Randwick in August, the George Main Stakes at a mile at Randwick in September, and the Caulfield Stakes at 1 1/4 miles at Caulfield Racecourse on Oct. 8.

A 4-year-old Australian-bred colt by Street Boss, Anamoe was second by a short head to State of Rest in the 2021 Cox Plate after being carried out in the final strides. The order of finish was not changed after a 25-minute review by track stewards.

There is a possibility Anamoe could start in the Group 1 VRC Champion Stakes at 1 1/4 miles at Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne on Nov. 5. Anamoe is not a candidate for the country’s most popular race, the Group 1 Melbourne Cup at two miles on Nov. 1, which is run as a handicap.

MONDAY PREVIEW

Our Candidate will carry topweight of 136.6 pounds when he starts as an expected second choice in the Cessnock Cup on the infield Beaumont course at Newcastle Racecourse in Australia on Sunday evening across American time zones.

Our Candidate is certainly suited to the Cessnock Cup distance of 1 5/16 miles. An 8-year-old gelding, Our Candidate won a handicap at 1 3/8 miles at Grafton Racecourse in July, but has lost his last two races.

Trained by Kris Lees, Our Candidate closed from fifth in a field of 10 to finish third by 1 3/4 lengths in the Port Macquarie Cup at 1 1/4 miles on Oct. 7 as a 7-1 chance. The race was won by the 6-5 favorite Quality Time.

Our Candidate is part of a field of nine in the Cessnock Cup, the sixth race on a program that begins at 10:15 p.m. Eastern or 7:15 p.m. Pacific. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.

Left Reeling, a 4-year-old filly who has won 2 of 9 starts, was the 2-1 favorite in early betting as of early Saturday, with Our Candidate at 3-1.

Left Reeling, who will carry 121 pounds, won consecutive starts in August and September – a maiden race at about a mile and a handicap at about 1 1/8 miles.

Trained by John Sargent, Left Reeling was seventh of eight in a handicap at 1 3/8 miles at Warwick Farm on Oct. 7 in the longest race of her career. She was not helped by a stretch run in which she was seven-wide. Left Reeling was beaten 3 1/2 lengths as the 2-1 favorite.

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