The Exceed And Excel colt Bivouac showed he will be a major player in any race he contests this spring after trotting up by four and a quarter lengths at his seasonal debut in Saturday's Group III Vain Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield.
Settled just off the pace by Hugh Bowman, Bivouac was eased three-wide on the turn and it was just a matter of how far from there on.
Under little more than a hand ride over the final 100 metres, Bivouac defeated Sebring colt Sebrakate by four and a quarter lengths with the Written Tycoon colt Dirty Work a length and a quarter back in third.
"The raced panned out really well for me," Bowman said.
"As the race unfolded I was able to manoeuvre myself into a position where I was able to balance him up and let him go.
"He certainly has better things in store in the coming months. We expected him to put in a good performance and it was no surprise to see him win the way he did.
"It's early days but he is certainly an exciting horse and he has a good record and I know the stable has a very high opinion of him."
Last season the James Cummings-trained colt won the Listed Lonhro Plate at Warwick Farm in February before a luckless fourth in the Group II Todman Stakes at Randwick won by Yes Yes Yes (Rubick), which saw him miss a start in the Golden Slipper.
He found a consolation in the Group III Kindergarten Stakes (1100m) at Randwick (image Steve Hart ) where he dashed clear at the 250 metres to defeat the strong finishing debutant Libertini (I Am Invincible) by two lengths with the favourite Athiri (Lonhro) a half-neck back in third. Fourth-placed Stronger (Not A Single Doubt) went on to win the Group III Ken Russell Classic at his next start.
A homebred for Godolphin, Bivouac advances his record to 3 wins, 1 second and 1 third from 6 starts with earnings of $347,950.
A three-quarter brother to the 4-time Group 1 winner Guelph, Bivouac is third winner from as many foals to race out of the More Than Ready (USA) mare Dazzler who won her first two starts at Geelong and Flemington in an 11-start career.
She is a half-sister to Guelph and the Group II ATC Todman Stakes winner Ghibellines out of Elusive Quality's Group 1 AJC Sires' Produce Stakes winner Camarilla who had just four foals before her tragic death in October 2012.
Dazzler's first foal Coruscate (Exceed Abd Excel), a full brother to Bivouac was a 4-time winner and placed in the Group II ATC Skyline Stakes and Group III ATC Pago Pago Stakes.
She has a yearling filly by Medaglia D'Oro (USA) and was covered by Lonhro last spring.
