Caulfield Guineas: Damien Oliver ends 31-year drought in race with Anamoe

Bob Hawke was Prime Minister when Damien Oliver won his first Caulfield Guineas and he finally secured a second with a perfectly executed ride on Anamoe.

Damien Oliver urges Anamoe to victory in the Caulfield Guineas. Picture: Racing Photos via Getty Images

Damien Oliver’s Caulfield Guineas drought is over. Thirty one years after winning on Centro, Oliver’s second of now 123 career Group 1s, the Hall of Fame jockey helped Anamoe stamp himself as Australia’s champion juvenile.

Bob Hawke was Prime Minister when Oliver last won the Caulfield Guineas, while Collingwood was three days into toasting its own three-decade drought-breaker.

“It’s a long time between drinks,” Oliver said.

“It took a top class colt to do it.

“He‘s just a magnificent specimen of a horse.”

ANAMOE WINS THE 2021 CAULFIELD GUINEAS! 💙💙@[e-mail]/UhzvA11X3E

— Racing.com (@Racing) October 9, 2021

In the years to come Anamoe will spearhead Godolphin’s stallion operation, Darley, but not before a shot at the Cox Plate potentially.

“I wouldn’t put it beyond him,” Oliver said.

“He’s a big strong colt. He relaxes well.

“I’m sure the team will have a discussion about that.

“He’s certainly got the right temperament for it and he’s a lovely horse. We’ll see what happens.”

Sydney colts Anamoe and Captivant reigned supreme on Saturday, cruising up three-wide and finishing powerfully to quinella the $2m major.

Oliver’s 123rd Group 1, his first for Godolphin, continued a three-generation Cummings tradition.

“I rode my first Group 1 for his grandfather Bart here on Submariner in the (1990) Sir Rupert Clarke,” Oliver said.

“I’ve ridden Group 1s for his father Anthony and now James as well.”

Damien Oliver celebrates with the Guineas trophy. Picture: Racing Photos via Getty Images

Oliver, who sealed a feature double winning the Group 2 Herbert Power on Delphi, ensuring the import a start in the Caulfield Cup next Saturday, executed his Anamoe race plan to perfection.

“I was hoping to find the back of Captivant,” Oliver said.

“He’s a good horse and he could take me into the race three-wide with cover.

“It doesn’t always work out the way you want it but it did today.

“He’s a nice momentum building horse and he was able to unleash a good finish down the outside.”

Captivant, a $26 outsider, looked set to cause the boilover but Anamoe lifted to seal the win.

Blue Diamond winner Artorius, near last on entering the straight after being a step slow out of the barriers, unleashed a withering turn of hoof to grab third ahead of Lightsaber.

“He’s a magnificent horse,“ Oliver said of Anamoe.

“He’s like a lot of good horses, he knows he’s good, pricks his ears for the camera.”

Godolphin’s Melbourne foreman Sean Keogh hailed the performance.

“The expectations on the horse from day dot have been there and that adds to the pressure. He’s delivered,” Keogh said.

“In his two-year-old year he was a Group 1 winner and to turn that to the highest level as a three-year-old is just unbelievable.

“This was a grand final target, you might say. He always seemed in the mould of a horse that would relish the mile, a classic type about him.”

Originally published as Caulfield Guineas: Damien Oliver ends 31-year drought in race with Anamoe