Oakleigh Plate-bound Anaheed wins first-up

Anaheed will chase a Group One win in the Oakleigh Plate after beating older horses at Caulfield.

Trainer Peter Snowden can head towards the Group One Oakleigh Plate with some confidence about three-year-old Anaheed being a major player after the filly resumed in style with a win in the Group Two Rubiton Stakes.

Anaheed was able to sit just off leader Sartorial Splendor in Saturday’s 1100m sprint at Caulfield before charging to the front approaching the 200m.

With Sydney jockey Tim Clark aboard, Anaheed ($2.90) defeated the closing Bold Star by 1-1/4-lengths with All Too Royal a long neck away third in a performance which even exceeded Snowden’s expectations.

“I was really surprised how well she won,” Snowden, who trains in partnership with his son Paul, said.

“She was coming in off one trial and a really soft trial at that.

“I was thinking she was maybe not quite as forward as I hoped she would be but she showed her real class today.

“She was probably only 90 per cent there and she still won, so I’m really happy.

“She’ll definitely improve off that run.”

Anaheed’s fifth win from 12 starts was her fourth success at Group level.

She won twice at Group Two level as a two-year-old while during her previous campaign as a spring three-year-old she won the Group Three Blue Sapphire Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield and rounded out that preparation with a placing at weight-for-age in the Group One Manikato Stakes.

Snowden confirmed the Group One Oakleigh Plate (1100m) at Caulfield on February 22, in which Anaheed would get in with a light weight, was a target for the filly.

“She gets nothing on her back and she would have to be a lightweight chance in a race like that,” he said.

Anaheed firmed from $11 to $6 on the third line of betting in the TAB’s all-in market for the Oakleigh Plate after her Rubiton win, with Group One-winning colt Bivouac the $3 favourite.