Once rejected, now feted

Anacheeva is yet another yearling to “fail the vet” at the sales and to go on to win at Group 1 level.

The son of Anabaa, who looked a pictured in the parade, used his barrier one to advantage to run down the leader Run For Levi (by Hussonet), who ran the bravest of races for his big-spending owner Nathan Tinkler.

Anacheeva, trained by Peter Moody and ridden by Luke Nolen – the new dominant forces in Australian racing – cost only $110,000 as a yearling at the 2009 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale.

Moody said that the colt failed all veterinary checks of his x-rays and was unwanted in Widden Stud’s draft, but “we took a chance and got him cheap.” Anacheeva is raced by Victorian-based Rockmount Syndicate, part-managed by Geoff Guest, who owns Rockmount, a leading agistment farm, at Euroa.

Anacheeva is a brother to the 2006 Group 1 Australian Derby winner Headturner – both are out of the Zabeel mare Monroe Magic, whose dam My Marilyn (by Bakharoff), was a brilliant juvenile.

Moody said the colt, a maiden winner at Sale at two, proved himself the best 3YO of the spring. ”He has won over six (1200m), seven (1400m) and now a mile (1600m), stepping up in class each time.”

The Guineas is one of Australia’s premier races for sourcing stallions, and Anacheeva, a neat if not immature colt, will be much sought after as a stallion prospect. His only real fault is a habit of carrying his head high, which forced Moody to employ the use of the nose roll.

“He looked brilliant in the parade,” said Moody, “but you can see he hasn’t furnished yet. There is a lot of improvement in him.”

Anacheeva pounced on Run For Levi at the 300m, but he found himself in uncharted waters when he hit the front so far from home, and then hung in on Run For Levi, who fought the finish out magnificently.

The Sydney colt Masquerader, wearing blinkers for the first time, ran on nicely for third ahead of a game Toorak Toff, the unlucky Rekindled Interest and an improving Smokin’ Joey.

Toorak Toff lost his chance when jockey Damien Oliver was unable to get the big colt into a good position from barrier eight, forcing Oliver to make a long forward move down the side out four wide.

Rekindled Interest knuckled at the start and almost fell. Jockey Craig Williams then made a mistake by coming off the rail on the bend, only to run into behinds. When he switched back inside the “bird had flown” but Rekindled Interest stormed late in a performance that smacked of “Derby contender”.

The highly-rated Sydney colt Ilovethiscity loomed to win the race on the bend, but died on his run. He raced a tired horse.

PHOTO: Anacheeva pictured at Widden Stud as a yearling