Anamoe, Paulele among strong Hobartville Stakes nominations

A strong group of three-year-olds have been nominated for this Saturday’s Group 2 Hobartville Stakes at Rosehill Gardens in Sydney, Australia.

The 1400m event sets a solid foundation for three-year-olds who are headed towards the Randwick Guineas and Rosehill Guineas, as well as the Australian Derby and sometimes the Doncaster Mile.

Cox Plate runner-up Anamoe headlines the list of 19 colts and gelding who have been nominated, while the Eskimo Prince Stakes trifecta of Paulele, Ranch Hand and Converge add plenty of interest.

Peter & Paul Snowden saddle up just the one runner, with Captivant looking to win his first race at Rosehill Gardens.

Joining Anamoe and Paulele from the James Cummings stable is Victoria Derby runner-up Alegron, with the son of Teofilo coming through a star-studded trial at Warwick Farm on Monday.

Chris Waller has a strong hand in the nominations, as he often does at this time of year, with Giannis and Mana Nui looking at stepping out alongside Ranch Hand, who comes off a terrific return when second in the Eskimo Prince on February 5.

Gai Waterhouse has trained three of the past 15 winners of the Hobartville Stakes, so she will be hoping either Converge or Star Impact can join Mutawaajid, Wild And Proud and Pierro on the honour role.

Should one of Waterhouse’s runners get the job done this Saturday, it would be her first victory in the now-$400,000 feature with co-trainer Adrian Bott.

After Aegon won this race in 2021 for Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman, Murray’s son, Bjorn Baker, will be looking to win his first Hobartville, having nominated both War Eternal and Maurice‘s Medad.

Maurice’s Medad ran an eye-catching fourth behind Paulele in the Eskimo Prince a fortnight ago in what was his first run back from a spell, while War Eternal finished seventh in the same race.

Also coming through the Eskimo Prince is Tracey Bartley’s Four Pillars winner Kiss Sum, who made up good ground late in that race, while Subterranean, Royalzel and Hilal will also be looking to turn the tables on Paulele on Saturday.

Bringing some differing formlines are Annabel Neasham’s Military Expert, who resumed in a Midway at Rosehill Gardens on January 29, and Gerald Ryan & Sterling Alexiou‘s Flying Crazy, who was a good winner at Newcastle on February 5.

Raging Bull will resume after running a brave fourth in the Victoria Derby, while Satirical Glory comes off a fourth in the Group 1 Spring Champion Stakes behind Profondo.

Anamoe is currently the -111.11 favourite despite being beaten by Overpass in the Expressway Stakes on January 29, with Converge, Paulele and Ranch Hand all rated +500 chances at Bovada.

Hugh Bowman has a terrific record in this race, winning five Hobartvilles since 2005, and he will partner Anamoe on Saturday, as James McDonald heads to Flemington to partner Home Affairs in the Group 1 Black Caviar Lightning Stakes (1000m).