On a day where the county’s best two-year-olds will go head-to-head in the Golden Slipper and a quality line-up of milers are set to tackle the $5m All Star Mile, things get even hotter with Anamoe and co stepping out in the $1m George Ryder Stakes at a Rosehill Gardens. A couple of new faces are out to try and bring him unstuck in the 1500m weight-for-age feature, including last start winner, Artorius, and Kiwi star, Levante.
Looking at the market, there’s no surprises that Anamoe has come up $1.65 with Dabble. Artorius is the only one within cooee at $7.00, and it’s out to $10 the rest of the field, headed by Fangirl.
However, we know with horse racing that anything can happen and Anamoe has to overcome the outside gate if he’s to make it Group 1 number nine. So, we have dissected each of the horses’ chances for you and provided our horse racing tips! Read on below to find our runner by runner preview of the 2023 George Ryder Stakes along with The Shark’s best tips.
1. Anamoe (11) – $1.65F
Jockey – James McDonald 59kg
Trainer – James Cummings
Got the job done first up in the Apollo Stakes before an electric win last start in the Chipping Norton. Like the fact that he stays at 1500m here but has to overcome the outside gate. Clearly the one they have to beat but there’s no value in the price on offer.
Anamoe, who is two-for-two in 2023, is expected to make his next start in the George Ryder Stakes (G1) this Saturday. pic.twitter.com/3An6NElc9v
— IFHA’s Longines World’s Best Racehorse Rankings (@worldsbesthorse) March 13, 2023
2. Artorius (1) – $7.00
Jockey – Mark Zahra 59kg
Trainer – Anthony & Sam Freedman
Resumed from a lengthy spell with a terrific win first up at Randwick in the Canterbury Stakes. Ran down the odds on fav, Imperatriz, on that occasion and will be out to cause another upset here. Will get a cosy run from the inside draw and should be charging home again late, providing he can run a strong 1500m second up.
3. Kirwan’s Lane (5) – $51
Jockey – Brenton Avdulla 59kg
Trainer – John O’Shea
Rounded out last prep with a good win in the $2m Ingham before a nice return in the Canterbury Stakes a fortnight ago. Is a winner here at the Rosehill/ 1500m and goes well second up. Not sure he has the class to beat the likes of Anamoe and Artorius but won’t disgrace himself.
4. Converge (6) – $31
Jockey – Tim Clark 59kg
Trainer – Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott
Raced wide without cover first up in the Canterbury Stakes and did well to be beaten just 2.6L. Drawn to get a much more economical run here and will appreciate the step up to 1500m. Another who is probably not up to winning but won’t be far away based on his latest effort.
5. Lion’s Roar (3) – $126
Jockey – Chad Schofield 59kg
Trainer – John O’Shea
Resumes from a spell here after finishing a close up fifth in the Summer Cup at 2000m. Usually takes a run or two to hit his straps and is suited over further, but recent trials suggest he is going well heading into this. Could sneak a place.
🏇Rosehill Guineas
🏇Ranvet Stakes
🏇George Ryder Stakes
🏇The GalaxyThe barriers are all out!#Rosehill pic.twitter.com/VwXO7skMLV
— bet365 AUS (@bet365_aus) March 15, 2023
6. Fangirl (7) – $10
Jockey – Kerrin McEvoy 57kg
Trainer – Chris Waller
Ran on well first up in the Apollo Stakes before another strong closing effort last start in the Chipping Norton. Ran an enormous race in the Golden Eagle at the end of last prep at this track/ trip and should be cherry ripe third up. If there’s a chink in the favourites armour, which there could well be from the outside draw, she’s more than capable of taking full advantage and claiming her second Group 1 here.
7. Levante (10) – $31
Jockey – Michael Dee 57kg
Trainer – Bev & Ken Kelso
Star Kiwi mare who was a solid winner at Group 1 level last start at Otaki. Brings some solid form lines around NZ’s best sprinter/ milers and has already matched it with our best in the Newmarket and VRC Classic last Spring. Will be ridden back from the wide gate and has an electrifying turn of foot on her day. Respect.
8. Electric Girl (2) – $18
Jockey – Jye McNeil 57kg
Trainer – Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes
Tough front running mare who won well first up in the Millie Fox here at Rosehill before leading and finding well in the Canterbury Stakes last start. Steps up to 1500m for the first time here, which has to be some query, but rarely runs a bad race and is in career best form. Not the worst.
9. Golden Mile (8) – $11
Jockey – Hugh Bowman 56kg
Trainer – James Cummings
Second of the Blue Army runners who was a beaten favourite first up in the Expressway before a solid effort in the Canterbury Stakes time out. Getting out to a more suitable trip here and should be ready to peak third up. Not sure he’s got the class to beat his stablemate at weight-for-age, but has to be considered a genuine place hope.
Likely runners for next weekend’s George Ryder Stakes:
Fangirl, Osipenko, Levante, Golden Mile and/or Aft Cabin.
Looking light so far, should see some more runners join en route to the Doncaster.
— Tony (@tonyfromthemoon) March 7, 2023
10. Communist (4) – $21
Jockey – Damian Lane 56kg
Trainer – Michael Freedman
Chased home Aft Cabin first up in the Eskimo Prince before an even finish in the Hobartville second up. Made amends last start, with a dominant victory in the Randwick Guineas over 1600m. Steps up to weight-for-age now which won’t be easy, but is drawn well and has to be given an each-way chance based on his latest effort.
11. Osipenko (9) – $18
Jockey – Nash Rawiller 56kg
Trainer – Chris Waller
Another three-year-old who was good last start when winning the Hobartville here at Rosehill. Ran a huge race in the Caulfield Guineas at the back end of last prep and should be ready to fire third up, despite being a month between runs. Not without a hope.
Final Word
I guess the question punters, form students and the general racing public have to ask themselves is, can anything beat Anamoe here? There’s no doubt he’s the best horse in the country over 1400-2000m but has come up with a sticky gate here in a very competitive field.
Follow the market movers: George Ryder Stakes – Anamoe $1.90-$1.85-$1.75-$1.70-$1.65-$1.60 $9,000 @ $1.70, $52,200 @ $1.70, $53,300 @ $1.65 – All-Star Mile – Alligator Blood $3-$2.80-$3-$2.90-$2.80… https://t.co/tjFtcRgBb0 #horseracing #worldsbesthorseracing #ThoroughbredNEWS
— ThoroughbredNEWS (@tnews_racing) March 15, 2023
With that said, my answer is yes, and feel Fangirl can finally turn the tables on him with the right run in transit. She was very good from the back in the Apollo Stakes first up and again last start in the Chipping Norton. She should find cover from gate seven and is suited third up out to 1500m, where she finished a close second in the Golden Eagle last prep.
Obviously, Anamoe looks the danger. He did what he had to first up in the Apollo before a dominant victory last start. Godolphin have elected to keep him at 1500m third up here, which I like, and despite being drawn the outside gate, can easily make this Group 1 win number nine.
The three-year-olds have proven in recent weeks they’re hard to beat in weight-for-age races at this time of year. Osipenko was a brilliant winner of the Hobartville last time out and should be in the mix again here. Communist came out of the Hobartville and was successful in the Randwick Guineas last start and Golden Mile gets to a more suitable trip here. All three should race well.
Hard to leave out Artorius and Levante. Both have an enormous turn of foot on their day and will be finishing off the race hard. Include Electric Girl, who will roll forward and take running down, in exotics.
George Ryder Stakes Tip
6. Fangirl – Each-way ($10/$2.40)
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*Odds correct at time of writing, courtesy of Dabble.
