The majority expected a first season sire to win the Group II Silver Stakes (1100m) at Rosehill on Saturday, it just wasn’t expected to be Bivouac, but that’s the way it played out with Beiwacht scoring an impressive win and getting his ticket to the Golden Slipper.
It continues an outstanding start to the career of Bivouac, with Beiwacht his third Australian winner, and second stakes winner, having sired Group II Challenge Stakes winner Intention in New Zealand.
THE RACE
All eyes were on Wodeton, the odds-on favourite drawn the widest gate and he ended up exactly where most expected, back and wide.
Godolphin youngster Beiwacht on the other hand went forward from gate seven and sat second off the leader, Gambler with the second favourite Bel Merci tracking that pair.
Beiwacht loomed strongly immediately on straightening and kept going powerfully to the line to win comfortably at the finish, beating West Of Swindon (Wootton Bassett) by 2.2 lengths with Wodeton (Wootton Bassett) third.
THE QUOTES
“Last start it was a perfect set-up, barrier one, because he was quite strong on debut and he's quite a strong colt. Not aggressively strong, just learning and obviously a horse that's got a lot of ability and just trying to teach him to get to him to settle and harness that.
“His race the other day, unfortunately we had no cover, they raced off the fence in an 1100-metre race at Randwick, which was unfortunate, as I felt he would have won that race if we were able to get cover and just switch him off a little bit.
“Today, with the good speed, he jumped well, he was nice and relaxed in the first 100m, and I was able to take up a nice position outside the lead on a good speed.
“But he started to get quite strong before the turn because I was going so well and I didn't really want to go but at the same time, I didn't want to break his stride. So I just tried to hold onto him as much as I could and he showed a very sharp turn of foot.
“There's a lot of improvement, as I said, he's still a very raw colt, and a couple little things he's doing, what he's doing is just pure ability. They're not bad things that he's doing, but once he realises he's a racehorse, there'll be a lot of a different story.
Tyler Schiller on West Of Swindon:
“I was really impressed with him. He jumped sharper today, an inside draw helped, and he got a lovely run through following the winner. I thought he did a good job but he will definitely take a lot of improvement out of that.”
Kerrin McEvoy on Wodeton:
“I thought he ran fantastic. Plan was to be a little bit quiet to get some cover but that didn’t eventuate. He got a little bit competitive, having to be a bit closer on the corner having done it the hard way. I liked the way he was quickening through the last furlong. Everything points to him being 100% ready to go in a few weeks’ time. A little bit further will suit him as well.”
Zac Lloyd on Bel Merci:
“Not the same horse. Just not her day. Hopefully she pulls up alright. She is much better than that.”
BREEDING
A home bred for Godolphin, Beiwacht is out of Street Cry mare Metastasio, winner of the Listed Chairman’s Stakes at two, and a half-sister to Colette, winner of the Group I Empire Rose Stakes and Australian Oaks.
Beiwacht is her seventh foal and fourth winner, which includes Listed winner Gravina and has a yearling filly by Bivouac named Café Reine.
Metastasio was sold by Godolphin last year at the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale for $110,000 to Hirsch Racing and produced foaled a filly by Microphone last season for her new owners and was then served by Woodside Park Stud's first season sire Benbatl (GB).
THE FUTURE
You’ve got to believe your eyes, Beiwacht was very impressive.
West Of Swindon will improve and Wodeton got to be given another chance. Bel Merci was poor.
