After getting the last-minute call-up to ride Godolphin star Anamoe in the 2022 Hobartville Stakes replacing the ill Hugh Bowman, Tommy Berry was rewarded with a thrilling victory in the Rosehill Gardens feature.

Anamoe (No. 1, blue silks) was good holding out Hilal (No. 4, inside) in an exciting finish to the 2022 Hobartville Stakes at Rosehill. Photo: Steve Hart.

Bowman was declared a non-rider on race morning due to a gastro bug and Berry was quickly named as the new rider aboard the hot favourite, Street Boss colt Anamoe, in the Group 2 $400,000 Hobartville Stakes (1400m).

“It was not ideal on race morning that unfortunately, Hugh (Bowman) was indisposed and didn’t make it,” Cummings said.

“Tommy Berry didn’t have a whole lot of time to think about the race.

“But sometimes a change of jockey, a new set of hands and interesting things can happen.”

There was nothing in the finish but that took nothing off how good the James Cummings-trained Caulfield Guineas champion was second-up, Anamoe ($1.70F) saluting for the punters atoning for his first-up loss when third in the Expressway Stakes.

Mustering early speed to cross and lead the field around was Silent Impact, while Berry also had Anamoe settled up on pace in fourth one out one back just ahead of the Hawkes Racing-trained Bondi Stakes winner Hilal in the run.

Anamoe was only two lengths off the lead around the turn for home, getting into his work 300m out as Fastnet Rock colt Hilal presented as the danger with a brilliant run up the inside.

Hilal was closing off very well and trying hard, but Anamoe gave a good kick late to fend off the runner-up by a head in a stirring finish.

“He gives you a bit of a false feeling. Coming to the corner and even when I cruised up, I felt like he was going to take a bit of hard work to get the job done,” Berry told Thoroughbred Central post-win.

“When I gave him a smack around the bum he really took off and I got there way too early on him.

“I put them away but he got a little bit lost.

“I didn’t even know Hilal was coming up the fence. The only reason I know was because I felt him pick up for me again.

“We could have gone another 100m and there was no one getting past me.

“If I get the chance to ride him again, I’ll wait a little bit longer.”

In a photo for third to round out the Hobartville Stakes trifecta, Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott’s Group 1 JJ Atkins winner Converge denied Ranch Hand the final placing.

The high didn’t last long for the winning hoop however, Berry subsequently suspended following his win in the Hobartville Stakes having plead guilty of shifting across the running of Ranch Hand nearly the final 50m.

The likely next-up option for Anamoe is a step-up to a mile for the Group 1 $1 million Randwick Guineas (1600m) on March 5.

“It was the closest he has been in a race ever and it forced him to dig deep when a late challenger came,” Cummings said.

“A resilient win from him and a perfect building race as he steps into his preparation.”

Dissident (2014), Hallowed Crown (2015), Kementari (2018) and The Autumn Sun (2019) are the latest runners to complete the Hobartville Stakes – Randwick Guineas double.

Berry will be on suspension for Randwick Guineas Day with his ban starting the day after he rides Jamaea in next Saturday’s Group 1 Surround Stakes (1400m).

Also Randwick Guineas-bound off his brave run, Hilal impressed co-trainer Michael Hawkes in the Hobartville.

“It took a very good horse to beat him in Anamoe,” he said.

“The further he gets, the better he will be and he loves Randwick and once he gets there it will be a different kettle of fish.”

All-in 2022 Randwick Guineas odds at Ladbrokes.com.au have Anamoe into $2 favouritism and are available in full here.

2022 Hobartville Stakes Results & Finishing Order

Table Credit: Racing Australia.