Chris Waller‘s talented mare Fangirl had to settle for her third straight placing behind Godolphin hero Anamoe this campaign with an exciting finish to the George Ryder Stakes 2023 on Golden Slipper Day.
Champions always find a way to win and that is exactly what the James Cummings-trained Street Boss four-year-old Anamoe had to do in this year’s Group 1 $1 million George Ryder Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill.
Ridden by James McDonald the now nine-time Group 1 winning galloper found himself caught three-wide throughout never getting to the inside.
The $1.80 odds-on elect was forced four and five wide around the home turn, but still managed to get to the line first having worked his way right down the outside the closing stages and salute for the punters.
Electric Girl led the George Ryder Stakes field around and was still in the lead 300m out on the straight.
Converge however off an on-speed run challenged and briefly hit the front at 40/1 for Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott before class rose to the top.
J. Mac lifted late on the James Cummings-trained star with Anamoe getting into the lead and holding off Fangirl who flew home to make up all the ground and run a tight second again off placings in the Group 2 Apollo (2nd) and Group 1 Chipping Norton (3rd).
Converge held for third, while the George Ryder first four was completed by the Anthony & Sam Freedman-trained Canterbury Stakes winner Artorius who was also very good late racing through the line.
With the George Ryder Stakes result Anamoe has set up a super showdown for April 8 at Randwick in the Group 1 $5 million Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) with William Haggas‘ UK raider Dubai Honour.
Dubai Honour was enormous first-up in Australia ridden to a nearly five-length lead by now 169-time Group 1 winning hoop Ryan Moore in the Group 1 Ranvet Stakes (2000m) earlier in the day.
The two weight-for-age elite level Slipper Day winners now dominate all-in Queen Elizabeth Stakes 2023 betting at Ladbrokes with Anamoe narrow $2.50 favourite ahead of Dubai Honour at $3.
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