Anamoe returned to winning form with the famous Royal Blue silks of Godolphin flashing across the line first in a tight finish to the Group 2 $400,000 Hobartville Stakes (1400m) at Rosehill Gardens.
Anamoe is onto the Group 1 Randwick Guineas after a close win for the punters in the 2022 Hobartville Stakes at Rosehill. Photo: Steve Hart.
After a first-up third in the Expressway, James Cummings’ Caulfield Guineas hero and narrow Cox Plate runner-up from the spring saluted for the punters in his second run of the autumn.
Hugh Bowman was originally set to ride the star Street Boss colt, but after being struck down by a stomach virus the night prior, was forced to forfeit his book of rides on Hobartville Stakes Day.
Tommy Berry picked up the prized mount on Anamoe in the Hobartville and got the job done in a beautiful but controversial ride over the fast-finishing Hilal that subsequently saw the hoop suspended.
“It was not ideal on race morning that unfortunately, Hugh (Bowman) was indisposed and didn’t make it,” Cummings said.
“Tommy Berry didn’t have a whole lot of time to think about the race.
“But sometimes a change of jockey, a new set of hands and interesting things can happen.”
In a day of mixed emotions, the high from the Hobartville win was quickly replaced by disappointment as Berry plead guilty to allowing Anamoe to shift in across the running of eventual fourth placegetter Ranch Hand nearing the 50-metre mark.
Berry’s ban will begin following next Saturday’s Group 1 Surround Stakes Day meeting at Randwick where his is booked to partner Jamaea in the $400,000 feature on the card.
In the Hobartville Berry got Anamoe into an on-speed position fourth one out one back as Silent Impact set the pace.
The favourite was only two lengths off the lead around the turn, Berry beginning his run in earnest 300m from the finish.
The Hawkes Racing-trained Hilal came with a huge late run up the inside, stretching Anamoe all the way to the line only to go down a head as the top elect gave a brave kick to fend off the challenger in an exciting finish.
“He gives you a bit of a false feeling. Coming to the corner and even when I cruised up, I felt like he was going to take a bit of hard work to get the job done,” Berry told the media after the victory.
“When I gave him a smack around the bum he really took off and I got there way too early on him.
“I put them away but he got a little bit lost.
“I didn’t even know Hilal was coming up the fence. The only reason I know was because I felt him pick up for me again.
“We could have gone another 100m and there was no one getting past me.
“If I get the chance to ride him again, I’ll wait a little bit longer.”
Converge for Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott finished third in a photo over the Chris Waller-trained Ranch Hand to complete the Hobartville trifecta.
Anamoe still has improvement to come going up to a mile next start for a shot at the Group 1 $1 million Randwick Guineas (1600m) on March 5 where co-trainer Michael Hawkes has confirmed Hilal will now also head.
“It took a very good horse to beat him in Anamoe,” he said.
“The further he gets, the better he will be and he loves Randwick and once he gets there it will be a different kettle of fish.”
The latest Hobartville Stakes winners to back-up and win the Randwick Guineas during their three-year-old seasons are: Dissident (2014), Hallowed Crown (2015), Kementari (2018) and The Autumn Sun (2019).
“It was the closest he has been in a race ever and it forced him to dig deep when a late challenger came,” Cummings added.
“A resilient win from him and a perfect building race as he steps into his preparation.”
Updated all-in Randwick Guineas betting markets at Ladbrokes.com.au have Anamoe as the clear $2 favourite to be the next.
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