James Cummings believes Anamoe is ready to defend his tag as Australia’s best galloper when he takes on Zaaki in the Group 1 George Main Stakes (1600m) at Randwick.
“He’s coming along beautifully. His first-up run has set him up perfectly for this preparation,” Cummings said.
Cummings said he hadn’t pushed Anamoe since his first-up win in the Winx Stakes at Randwick on August 20 over 1400 metres.
“I’ve taken my time with him, he hasn’t run for a month, but he’s a wonderful, natural athlete who’ll appreciate the gap between first- and second-up runs.”
“He enjoyed the seven (furlongs) first-up, so stepping to a mile is ideal.”
Cummings said James McDonald, who understood Anamoe very well, was the best jockey riding at the moment and that it was fitting he would ride the galloper who was also rated the best.
Cummings said Anamoe and McDonald have combined for three Group 1 wins together and he hoped it would continue.
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“Everything this preparation has gone beautifully, so this will be very instructive this weekend,” he said.
Anamoe is a $2.00 favourite with TopSports and Zaaki is a $3.10 chance.
Cummings will also pit two of his sprinters, Athelric and Andermatt, against Nature Strip in the Group 2 Shorts (1100m).
Andermatt has drawn barrier 13 and Athelric was in barrier four.
Cummings said it was a shame Andermatt drew so wide but he had improved since his first-up fourth behind Eduardo in the Concorde Stakes.
Cummings is buoyant about the chances of Athelric who finished second in that same race and that he could cause an upset.
“He took that first-up run in his stride and he continues to train in a fashion that he could be a quiet achiever.He’s going to get a perfect run from his draw,” Cummings said.
“He’s the type of horse who could keep picking up admirers and he finds himself in a race he can win.”
“Look for him to be running another good race, but we have to be realistic coming up against these ‘Mt Rushmore sprinters’ we’re coming against in The Shorts.”
Andermatt is $31 with TopSports and Athelric is $41.
Anamoe Odds
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Andermatt Odds
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