Anamoe is the firming favourite to kick off his spring with a win in the Group 2 $200,000 XXXX Run To The Rose (1200m) on Saturday, the James Cummings-trained star last seen saluting at elite level in the autumn.
Returning Inglis Sires’ winner Anamoe heads 2021 Run To The Rose betting in Sydney on Saturday. Photo: Steve Hart.
It is a typically class field of new season three-year-olds gathered for the Run To The Rose this weekend with the traditional Group 1 Golden Rose Stakes lead-up to take place at Kembla Grange instead of Rosehill due to ongoing COVID-19 restrictions.
Heading the markets at Ladbrokes.com.au is Godolphin’s Group 1 Inglis Sires’ winner from the autumn, consistent Street Boss colt Anamoe looking to hand Cummings his second Run To The Rose win in three years following the 2019 victory by Bivouac.
Also boasting placings in the Blue Diamond (3rd) and Golden Slipper (2nd) as a juvenile, a recent trial when third behind Gytrash at Randwick this month suggest Anamoe has returned in the same brilliant fashion making him a hard to beat hope fresh in the Run To The Rose.
He will have to be good again however with a number of other key chances boasting serious credentials and claims including the Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott-trained Converge who also runs first-up for the spring.
Drawn ideally in barrier three with Tim Clark in the saddle, Frankel gelding Converge finished his last campaign off with a Group 1 J.J. Atkins victory over the Eagle Farm mile.
He won that by over three lengths on the back of some eye-catching lead-up runs and, despite likely needing a little further, looks a genuine first-up hope fresh off a big Randwick trial win.
Converge is joined in the line-up by the fellow Waterhouse & Bott-trained In The Congo, a double-figure hope with the fitness edge having won the Group 3 San Domenico Stakes (1100m) at the Kembla Grange track last start.
Waterhouse is after her first Run To The Rose victory in partnership with Bott, but prepared by Squamosa (2010) and Pierro (2012) for their respective wins.
The other $5.50 danger and co-second elect is the Michael, Wayne and John Hawkes-trained Snitzel colt Remarque.
He brings a slightly differed form line this prep into the event having improved on a fifth behind Anamoe in the Group 2 Todman Stakes (1200m) back in March to run a first-up third behind Paulele in the Listed The Rosebud (1100m) on August 7.
Kept fresh since, he has enjoyed a subsequent Rosehill trial win by over three lengths earlier this month and only has to overcome a wide gate to feature in the finish.
Other top Run To The Rose acceptors include the Richard & Michael Freedman-trained Golden Slipper champion Stay Inside looking to atone for a first-up fifth in the San Domenico and the rails-drawn Captivant for Peter & Paul Snowden.
Winner of the Group 1 Champagne Stakes (1600m) at Randwick on April 24 on the back of a third to Anamoe in the Sires’ in Sydney, Capitalist colt Captivant was eye-catching first-up when third at big odds over the unsuitably short 1100m of the San Domenico.
He looks underrated again going around at about 15/1 in the current markets and will only have taken improvement off that run.
The 2021 Run To The Rose is scheduled to take place as Kembla Grange Race 8 at 3:55pm (AEST) on Saturday’s card.
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