The Godolphin-raced young gun Anamoe looks well positioned to atone for his devasting second last year coming up trumps with barrier four in Saturday’s 12-horse Ladbrokes Cox Plate 2022 final field.
Might And Power champ Anamoe is the dominant favourite for Saturday’s Ladbrokes Cox Plate 2022. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.
Last Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival the James Cummings-trained son of Street Boss won the Caulfield Guineas over a mile before crossing second by the barest of margins behind Irish raider State Of Rest in the Group 1 $5 million Ladbrokes Cox Plate (2040m).
It was a controversial finish and jockey Craig Williams lodged a protest that, after an excruciatingly long wait for connections of both horses, was dismissed and the second placing for Anamoe stood.
The now four-year-old has gone from strength-to-strength since picking up four subsequent Group 1 victories.
The latest three of those have been on the trot this time in with the horse taking out the Winx Stakes – George Main Stakes double in Sydney before heading south for a gutsy victory in the Group 1 Might And Power (2000m).
Anamoe now sits top of the Cox Plate odds online at race sponsor Ladbrokes.com.au paying $2.40 to keep the wins going with the in-form James McDonald continuing associations.
Last spring the Annabel Neasham-trained Zaaki was dominating Cox Plate betting right up until race morning when, in a huge blow for the team, he was scratched due to an elevated temperature.
Zaaki is back this year as an evergreen eight-year-old presenting fit fourth-up and looking to improve on his third when only a quarter-length off Zaaki in the Might And Power last time out.
Jamie Kah partners the $4.40 second elect with Zaaki drawn the inside alley that last produced a winner in 2015 when the mighty mare Winx won the first of her eventual four Cox Plates.
Neahsam dominates the Cox Plate field numbers-wise this spring saddling-up a total of three runners with Zaaki ed by stablemates Mo’unga ($31) and recent Group 1 Toorak Handicap runner-up Laws Of Indices ($26).
The only other galloper currently under double-figures in the markets is the Chris Waller-trained Irish import El Bodegon at $7 to win his Australian race debut.
Waller is after his fifth Cox Plate trophy after the aforementioned four-peat of Winx and looks in with a genuine chance saddling-up Kodiac four-year-old El Bodegon in barrier eight with Damien Oliver to ride.
The well-performed entire has had nine starts to date for three wins and a further five minor placings, the majority at the highest level in Europe.
The other best out of the Might And Power lead-up meanwhile is the Price/Kent runner-up I’m Thunderstruck ($13) out wide in gate 10 on Saturday with Mark Zahra in the saddle.
The Shocking five-year-old has been solid this prep including winning the Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) and was so close to Anamoe over this distance at Caulfield a fortnight back.
Other notable Cox Plate horses include Might And Power fourth place-getter Mr Brightside ($17), the Ciaron Maher & David Eustace-trained close Caulfield Cup runner-up on the quick turnaround Gold Trip ($21) and Group 1 Turnbull Stakes runner-up Maximal ($51) scratched from last weekend’s Caulfield Cup.
Click here for the latest Cox Plate 2022 betting odds thanks to Ladbrokes.com.au.
2022 Cox Plate Final Field & Barrier Draw
| No | Last 10 | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Barrier | Weight | Penalty | H Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | x21213x133 | ZAAKI (GB) | Annabel Neasham | Ms Jamie Kah | 1 | 59kg | 121 | |
| 2 | 55226×2142 | I’M THUNDERSTRUCK (NZ) | Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr) | Mark Zahra | 10 | 59kg | 120 | |
| 3 | 68x21x7215 | ALLIGATOR BLOOD | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | Tim Clark | 12 | 59kg | 118 | |
| 4 | x3441x1154 | MR BRIGHTSIDE (NZ) | Ben & JD Hayes | Craig Williams | 11 | 59kg | 117 | |
| 5 | 43x26x0328 | MO’UNGA (NZ) | Annabel Neasham | Nash Rawiller | 9 | 59kg | 117 | |
| 6 | x52x3x3352 | GOLD TRIP (FR) | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | Jamie Spencer | 7 | 59kg | 119 | |
| 7 | 5730409×42 | LAWS OF INDICES (IRE) | Annabel Neasham | John Allen | 3 | 59kg | 114 | |
| 8 | 232x528x43 | YOUNG WERTHER (NZ) | Danny O’Brien | Damian Lane | 2 | 59kg | 112 | |
| 9 | 6x00x25x82 | MAXIMAL (GB) | John O’Shea | Ben Melham | 5 | 59kg | 112 | |
| 10 | x31219x111 | ANAMOE | James Cummings | James McDonald | 4 | 57.5kg | 121 | |
| 11 | 21x04x3479 | PROFONDO | Richard Litt | Chad Schofield | 6 | 57.5kg | 116 | |
| 12 | 1311x7233x | EL BODEGON (IRE) | Chris Waller | Damien Oliver | 8 | 56.5kg | 113 |
Table Credit: Racing Australia.
