THE Bivouac four-year-old colt Beiwacht defied one of the country’s toughest weight-for-age competitors in Mr Brightside to take out Saturday’s Group 1 Memsie Stakes over Caulfield’s 1,400 metres.
With Nash Rawiller up for trainer Chris Waller, Beiwacht led from the outset as 10-time Group 1 winner Mr Brightside took up the trail, rolling off at the bend to mount a challenge.
Rated perfectly through by Rawiller, the Godolphin homebred had plenty in reserve with none of his 11 rivals able to make any ground.
Beiwacht kept on to finish three lengths clear of the nine-year-old Bullbars gelding Mr Brightside, who just shaded the Maurice gelding Cosmic Crusader by a neck.
“What a thrill,” said Rawiller, who began his career in Victoria.
“You know, I just prayed all week that he’d come out and do something like that, but it’s like a dream come true when he has.
New level
“He’s always been a lovely colt, but he just went to a new level today, there’s no doubt about that. He’s always had a good attitude, he’s always just had that raw, high cruising speed, he’s just matured and God, that was a special feeling the whole way up the straight. He just had them cold. It was exciting.”
Nash Rawiller got the ride on Beiwacht when the colt’s regular jockey Adam Hyeronimus wasn’t available for the All Aged Stakes in April. A win there at Randwick in the 1,400 metre Group 1 made it an easy decision for the stable to keep the combination.
“It was a great ride by Nash today and to see him come back, it was a terrific win,” said Chris Waller of his now three-time Group 1 winner. “We said last year we were keen to take him internationally, but he’s not a real straight horse. He was out of his comfort zone in the Lightning, and it dented our confidence a little bit.
“He’s a specialist 1,400 metre type horse, so there are some international thoughts there. We’ll find something. I’ll talk to the Godolphin team and I’m sure there will be some good races in store for him.”
HUSTLED forward from the 1,100 metre start to take up a position on the heels of the leading trio, Guest House looked to be over-racing slightly in the Group 2 San Domenico Stakes at Rosehill on Saturday.
Settled behind favourite Blue Door, this year’s Golden Slipper winner was reliant on a gap after swinging into the straight.
As Blue Door rolled off the fence ever so slightly, opportunity arose and Zac Lloyd urged Guest House forward with the Home Affairs colt obliging.
Once through the result was never in doubt as the Mick Price and Michael Kent Jr-trained colt surged to the line just over a length in front, shaving 0.10 seconds off the 2007 Course Record to post a time of 1:02.41. Blue Door held second, a length ahead of the All Too Hard gelding Music Time in third.
“I came here today under the impression the 1,100 metres would be a bit too short for him, but he blew those expectations out of the water,” said Tom Magnier, with Coolmore having already completed a stud deal for the colt, as well as having snapped up his dam, Flamboyant Lass at the 2026 Inglis Chairman’s Sale for $800,000 in foal to Storm Boy.
“This wasn’t his end goal but to come here and win so well and break a track record, it is very exciting,” Magnier added on the three-time winner, who has earned in excess of $3.46 million.
“If you have the right motor and right horse it is a lot easier than if you are not on the bridle, but gee, he’s a good colt,” Mick Price reflected. “I want him in the zone for the three races that make a colt’s (stud) career; The Golden Rose, The Everest and the Coolmore - they are three races I want him to be in the zone. I thought 1,100 metres was a bit short for him first-up, but that is just how good he is.”