He has won plenty of Group 1 races, he won the Cox Plate during a glittering Spring Carnival prep in 2022, and he is on track for another huge campaign this time.

Annamae is the best horse currently trained in Australia, and he returned to the races with a win in the Apollo Stakes before absolutely toying with them in the Chipping Norton last time.

Fitter third-up, under James McDonald, I think he just wins again.

If there is a threat to Anamoe in this George Ryder Stakes field, it’s almost certainly Artorius.

Having won the Neds Blue Diamond at just his third career starts in 2021, it was a long time between drinks for this classy son of Flying Artie, but he did continue to race well in some of the world’s best sprint contests.

Fast forward to Randwick a fortnight ago, and Artorius absolutely stormed home from nowhere to return to winning form in the Canterbury Stakes.

This is harder, but he harbours plenty of improvement, and he can fight out the finish again.

Fangirl has also returned to the races in excellent form this time, and she does look ready to peak third-up in the George Ryder.

A Group 1 winner during last year’s Autumn Carnival, Fangirl is another galloper that has continued to race well with a little while now between wins.

Having finished her last prep second in The Golden Eagle, Fangirl flashed late to fill the minors in the Apollo Stakes first-up and was only beaten by Anamoe in the Chipping Norton.

She’ll run her usual honest race; I just think that the two previously mentioned have her covered.

The Randwick Guineas winner will target the Doncaster Mile rather than getting further out in trip, and that means a stop-off in Saturday’s George Ryder!

I’d always had a feeling that Communist was a good horse, and I couldn’t help but include him in my numbers for the Group 1 mile a fortnight ago.

He proved that he was, in fact, a great horse, aided thoroughly by a peach of a ride from Zac Purton.

With Purton unable to make it back to Australia this week, Damian Lane takes the ride, and he too should be able to give the horse every opportunity from barrier 4.