With many of the opinion that Godolphin would provide the winner of this year’s $1m Group 1 ATC Golden Rose (1400m), they were right, but not with the 3yo expected as the Chris Waller trained Bivouac colt Beiwacht was simply sensational in his track record breaking victory.
From barrier 2, Adam Hyeronimus jumped Beiwacht away from the gates very well as his stablemate Sixties (Flying Arite) went forward under Rachel King where it looked as if the last start Group 3 Ming Dynasty Quality winner would go to the lead.
Hyeronimus maintained the rails position, slipping through to lead in a move that assisted in his sensational victory.
With fellow Godolphin owned Tempted (Street Boss), a sensational last start winner of the Group 2 The Run To The Rose jumping the favourite and settling in a mid-field position just off second favourite Wodeton (Wootton Bassett), with Autumn Boy (The Autumn Sun) going around the pair to sit three-wide.
Jockey Kerrin McEvoy urged Skyhook (Written Tycoon) forward where the chestnut colt sat in second on the outside of Beiwacht.
As Sixties and Skyhook commenced to drop off, Hyeronimus ramped up the pace on Beiwacht into the home straight with the colt continuing to space his rivals, pulling clear on the line to win by four and a quarter lengths from stablemate Wodeton, with a narrow margin back to Tempted in third.
A winner of the Group 2 Silver Slipper Stakes at 2 where he defeated Friday night’s Group 2 Stutt Stakes winner West Of Swindon (Wootton Bassett) and Golden Slipper/Golden Rose runner-up Wodeton, the victory was Waller’s fourth success in the race.
Leading throughout, Beiwacht broke the Rosehill 1400m track record, running 1.20.79.
With Godolphin dominating the Golden Rose in recent years, winning it five times in the last eleven years, Beiwacht's sire Bivouac also recorded success in the race, defeating Yes Yes Yes in 2019, before going to claim another two elite level races before retiring to Darley, where it is highly likely Beiwacht will stand in the years to come.
With Waller only having Beiwacht in the stable for a short period of time, the Champion trainer was complementary of Godolphin and their entire operation.
“What they've done for Australian racing, they've supported us for a long time, obviously buying it off the Ingham family. Amazing,” enthused Waller.
“Godolphin has been an amazing story for Australia and they've been my biggest competitor for so many years consistently in these big races, the stallion making races.
“I am honoured to be training for the likes of Coolmore, Godolphin. We had four great colts in the race and unfortunately there is only one winner.
“He's a son of Bivouac, who raced here in Sydney."
“We've learned a lot from them, the little systems they have and they may think we're OK too.”
With Hyeronimus having riding Beiwacht in all bar one of his starts, it was a great result for the jockey.
“Adam Hyeronimus has done a great job,” said Waller. “Godolphin has stuck solid with him. They're an amazing team.
“He did a great job Adam. He didn't panic on the horse, he got him into a nice rhythm and they've run time as well. It's a true testament to Adam Hyeronimus and the Godolphin team so thanks for their support.”
With the industry focused on the elusive Group 1 victory, now that Beiwacht has it, his commercial stud appeal is off and running.
“It's a big thing,” said Waller. “He's a Silver Slipper winner as a two-year-old, a Group Two winner and now he has won a stallion making race.”
“We have to concentrate on Wodeton now and get his one as well. He's a good colt. It was good to see him finish off well. Wootton Bassett is an amazing success story, it has been a sad week, but it was good to see Wodeton finish it off so well so a mile certainly wouldn't be out of his repertoire.”
Hyeronimus was always confident Beiwacht would win a big race.
“He's a talented horse,” said Hyeronimus. “He was always going to win a good feature race like this.”
“He has been a work in progress and he's come back this preparation and he's realised he's a racehorse, he's taken everything in his stride.
“He's had to give the other horses weight in the leadup races and his runs have still been terrific.
“I did tell everyone last start that it would be a risk at the 1400m and the main thing was to ride him how we have been riding him, keep things simple.
“He has got a very good turn of foot, he showed that as a two-year-old winning the Silver Slipper, so he was due, but it's very exciting.”
With two wins and three placed efforts from eight starts and $910,275 in earnings, the Godolphin bred colt is the first Group 1 winner amongst four winners out of the Street Cry mare Metastasio, herself a half-sister to dual Group 1 winner Colette, a daughter of 2105 Golden Rose winner Hallowed Crown.
A half-brother to Listed winner Gravina, Beiwacht has a 2yo full brother named Café Reine (Bivouac) also in the care of Chris Waller.
Metastasio was subsequently sold by Godolphin at the 2024 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale for $110,000 to Hirsch Racing where she foaled a filly by Microphone last season and is due to foal this season to Woodside Park Stud's multiple Group 1-winning Dubawi stallion Benbatl (GB) in his first season.
Beiwacht is one of three stakes winners for Darley’s Bivouac (Exceed And Excel) who is standing this season at a fee of $55,000 (inc. GST) where he will cover his fifth book of mares at Kelvinside.
