Top-class six-year-old in the hunt for major autumn prizes.
Trainer Owen Burrows has earmarked the Prix Dollar for one of his best-toned sixes, Anmaat, and ruled out a run in the hotly contested Irish Champion Stakes. After a stunning return to racing in August with victory in the Rose of Lancaster Stakes after being away for 439 days, the stable is now busy making preparations to defend its Prix Dollar title won in 2022. Again, Burrows has his target set on Longchamp. His approach had been measured and controlled considering he was being circumspect yet looking to get the best out of that superbehest in the closing stages of the season.
It has been a journey of patience and resilience for Anmaat, but being away for so long was not easy, and the horse did produce a great success with a comeback at Haydock earlier this summer, where he proved that ability remains intact. Winning the Group Three Rose of Lancaster Stakes was no easy win, coming as it did after over a year on the sidelines, but it testifies to the quality of the horse as much as it does to the professionalism of Burrows' team. "He's a pleasure at the races," said Burrows. "He's in a really good place, so fingers crossed he can stay there for the next two weeks and go in the form he's in at the minute."
Though Anmaat is eligible for the Irish Champion Stakes, which ran last weekend, Burrows said his Shadwell-owned connections have made an astute decision to swerve the race. No easy decision, but Burrows felt that the race in Ireland might be just a bit too tough at this stage of Anmaat's campaign. "We felt the Irish Champion would have been throwing him to the wolves a little bit," Burrows said. "He's a Group One winner already, but we liked the idea of giving him the Group Two race." The Prix Dollar, run on Arc weekend in Paris in early October, is a more inviting opportunity for Anmaat.
Anmaat's record speaks for itself. He already has a very impressive CV, of course, with the Group One Prix d'Ispahan and Rose of Lancaster successes on his resume—both victories coming twice this season and once in another campaign. His win last year in the Prix Dollar was one of the best performances, and a successful defence of that title will confirm him as one of the most consistent middle-distance milers in Europe. "Anmaat goes to Prix Dollar on Arc weekend," confirmed Burrows. "That is going to be the plan for him, and then, if it all goes well, he will go for Champion Stakes some weeks later."
Connections are hopeful a decent Prix Dollar can keep Anmaat in the mix for Qipco British Champions Day, for which he is already entered in the Champion Stakes. For now, though, Burrows's thoughts remain firmly on Longchamp, where they have not ruled out this ambitious next step. "We'll get France out of the way first and keep our fingers crossed," Burrows said with cautious optimism. "If all went well, he could back it up two weeks later." With the Arc weekend looming large, the excitement to see Anmaat back at Longchamp and continue his excellent campaign among the best of the best is growing. This has been the story of a fabulous comeback and careful planning during his campaign that has made Anmaat a watch-while horse during this season.
Burrows has ample faith in his charge and hopes that Anmaat will keep on flourishing as he enters what might well prove an unforgettable autumnal campaign. This strategy to target Prix Dollar shows the blend of ambition and caution that Burrows maintains with Anmaat. A win here will do nothing but add another name to his ever-increasing resume, but this could prove a springboard for something even bigger in the Champion Stakes at Ascot later in October. In the meantime, all eyes shall be glued to Anmaat as he gets set to chase success again in the City of Light.
