News

Caulfield Guineas to Anacheeva

10th Oct 2010

Stallions - Michelle Cullen - Saturday, 9 October 2010

Anacheeva kept his spring record intact when he made the most of a gun draw to win Saturday’s $1 million The Age Caulfield Guineas (1600m).

The son of Anabaa (Danzig - Balbonella by Gay Mecene) provided last season’s premier Victorian trainer, Peter Moody with his first Caulfield Guineas when he was given the run of the race by Luke Nolen to secure his most valuable win this spring.

Based at Caulfield, Moody said the bay colt was still untapped and he would develop further with a spring/summer spell under his belt.

“He just keeps getting the job done, this colt,” Moody told TVN’s Bruce Clark.

“I think he’s the best colt in the land and he’s proved it here today.

“He’s three for three this time around, they’ve come from everywhere and they’ve all had excuses, but he just keeps sticking his head out. He’s a winner, this horse.”

Anacheeva joins Alfa (1996) and Wonderful World (2006) as Caulfield Guineas Prelude winners to go on and win the Guineas in the past 20 years when he accounted for gritty pacemaker Run For Levi (Hussonet - Madam Bligh by Nine Carat) and Masquerader (Lucky Owners - Ion You by Geiger Counter).

Drawing the inside alley allowed Luke Nolen to settle him closer than he did during his Mitchell McKenzie Stakes and Guineas Prelude wins and he enjoyed a lovely run on the back of leader Run For Levi.

While leading local hope Toorak Toff was posted three-wide without cover, Anacheeva was enjoying a cushy run and he peeled away from the fence at the top of the straight before hitting the front 200m out.

Run For Levi fought on tenaciously once headed but could only get within a long neck of Anacheeva, while Masquerader weaved a passage through to claim third, three-quarters-of a-length away.

Toorak Toff ($5 equal favourite) fought the race out well to finish fourth, while co-favourite Ilovethiscity pulled up lame.

Nolen, who celebrated his maiden Group 1 win when victorious in the Guineas aboard Wonderful World, said the race worked out perfectly.

“We were scratching our heads a bit, thinking where we were going to end up in the run, thinking we might end up in a bit of traffic,” the jockey said.

“But he sprung well, I give him a squeeze, he box-seated and the rest of history.”

Moody said Anacheeva was a chance of going for a spell, but if he was to be seen again this spring it would be in the $500,000 Group 1 Coolmore Stakes on the first day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival, Saturday, October 30.

Purchased by Moody Racing at the 2009 William Inglis Easter yearling sale, Anacheeva is the second group one winner for his dam Monroe Magic (by Zabeel), the other is the AJC Derby winner Headturner, his full brother.

Monroe Magic, a maiden winner, is also the dam of the Group 3 STC Premiere Stakes winner, Kroner (by Viking Ruler).

Anacheeva gave his sire Anabaa his 12th winner at the elite level worldwide.