Victory for 40-1 shot Anmaat might have seemed unlikely before a rough-and-tumble running of the Oct. 19 Champion Stakes (G1), and no one could deny that he did it the hard way.
A previous winner at the highest level, Shadwell Estate's Anmmat was dwarfed by the considerable shadows of Calandagan and Economics in the buildup, but as a chink of light finally opened in front of him with less than a furlong to run, he burst from the pack to claim the £1.15 million feature on British Champions Day.
The victory earned the 6-year-old son of Awtaad an automatic berth into the $5 million Breeders' Cup Turf (G1T) Nov. 2 at Del Mar, through the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series: Win and You're In.
Racing on the tighter inner course at Ascot was always going to change the dynamics of the Champions Stakes to some degree, but it was the compact nature of the field during the race that made for uncomfortable viewing for more than one set of connections.
Runner-up Calandagan, sent off the 6-4 favorite, undoubtedly suffered along the inside rail, but Anmaat was just as badly impeded and found himself repeatedly denied any room to maneuver.
Even winning trainer Owen Burrows, who described Ascot as his lucky track, thought his good fortune at the royal racecourse had run out, but in the nick of time Anmaat and Jim Crowley managed to wriggle free from their shackles to pounce on Calandagan in the dying strides.
"I'll be honest, I put my binoculars down halfway up the straight and thought we had no chance," said Burrows, registering his fifth win at the top level. "Then I thought he's getting a bit of room and is going to be placed but, like Jim said, all the time he was locked up he was actually filling up. Sometimes it works in your favor but you do need the luck to get the gap which he got."
ANMAAT defies the odds to win The QIPCO Champion Stakes ahead of Calandagan. Congratulations to @jimcrowley1978, @owenburrowsrace and owners @shadwell_eu pic.twitter.com/7F3Q4x6gTH
— Ascot Racecourse (@Ascot) October 19, 2024
Anmaat's career is one of consistency, reading nine victories from just 15 starts, and neither Burrows nor Crowley lacked faith in the gelding who became the longest-priced winner of a race first first run in 1877.
"He disappointed in the Prix Dollar two weeks ago but it was a muddling old race and Jim said he probably could have ridden him a bit better," said the Lambourn trainer. "I've been very happy with him in the two weeks since France and very kindly Sheikha Hissa said to roll the dice again and she's been vindicated because that was a massive performance."
Crowley added: "I got stuck behind Los Angeles. I was thinking he'd be a great horse to take me into the race but I could see Ryan Moore niggling up the hill and I knew I was in a little bit of trouble. Everyone was so compacted and we were locked up. There was trouble in front of us as well.
"We switched to the inside and, at the last minute, we saw a sniff of a gap and it was an extraordinary performance to pick up on that ground. I think if he'd had a clear run sooner, he'd have been a very impressive winner, although he still was."
