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By Ray Hickson

It hasn’t been all smooth sailing for star colt Anamoe in the lead up to his return at Kembla Grange on Saturday but trainer James Cummings says any vulnerability could easily be offset by the X-Factor he possesses.

Godolphin trainer James Cummings (Pic: Bradley Photos).

Four of the five two-year-old Group 1 winners clash in the Group 2 $200,000 XXXX Run To The Rose (1200m) and Anamoe’s status as arguably the most exciting of them has set the stakes high.

That’s something Cummings is acutely aware of and while a well documented temperature spike a few weeks ago was considered a setback Anamoe showed in a barrier trial last week he is back on track, if he was ever off it.

In the 742m trial at Randwick the colt breezed home into third place behind TAB Everest runner Gytrash.

“It’s not ideal to have had a setback so close to his first-up run so for that reason we have to keep our feet on the ground and be mindful to feel our way,’’ Cummings said.

“I think you could come to expect from us we’re going to leave some improvement in him for later in the preparation. I don’t think it is too controversial to admit there is improvement in the horse.

“We are really pleased to have him back on track despite having a setback so close to his resumption.”

Anamoe looms large over the Run To The Rose as $2.40 favourite with TAB on Thursday and heads the market for the $1m Golden Rose in two weeks at $3.50.

Bivouac claimed the Run To The Rose-Golden Rose double for Godolphin in 2019, as did Astern in 2016.

Cummings elected to miss the Group 1 Champagne Stakes with Anamoe, who had a busy autumn with placings in the Blue Diamond and Golden Slipper, despite his dominant win in the Inglis Sires’ in the hope that the move pays off in the spring.

“We’ve done everything by Anamoe to put his interests first since he won the ATC Sires and he won it so impressively,’’ he said.

“He has the right form for this race, the penalty scheme for the Run To The Rose is more favourable than it was in the past.

“But he’s got it all to do, look at the quality of the horses that are here. Most of the two-year-old Group 1 winners from last season are here, only Artorius isn’t.”

As Cummings alluded the presence of the Golden Slipper winner (Stay Inside), Champagne Stakes winner (Captivant) and JJ Atkins winner (Converge) mean Anamoe doesn’t have an easy task first-up.

Anamoe runs third in a trial at Randwick on September 2

He also has the Silver Slipper winner (Home Affairs), San Domenico Stakes winner (In The Congo) and the exciting Remarque to contend with but all that considered Cummings can only expect Anamoe to run very well and be ready for the Golden Rose.

“He seems in very good shape, we’re quite pleased with him since he’s come back into training,’’ he said.

“He’s one of those few horses we have in training that has that X-Factor about him and on account of that you would never underestimate what he would be capable of doing.

“The horse will, in the first instance, head to the Golden Rose after here then plans will be laid out as we go.”

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday's Kembla Grange meeting