Cover image courtesy of Sportpix
Beiwacht (Bivouac) produced the highest rated performance of any horse from his crop when he took out Saturday’s G1 Golden Rose Stakes at Rosehill Gardens. The son of 2019 Golden Rose winner, Bivouac, took control of the race as soon as the gates crashed back.
His first 200 metres split from a standing start was in 13.6s and from there his individual splits read 10.60s, 10.92s, 11.24s, 11.32s, 11.10s, 11.70s. Rarely do you see a galloper clock 21.52s for a 400-metre section between the 1200 metres to the 800 metres and still run its last 200 metres in 11.7.
Times like this are saved for the cream of the crop, and nothing in this crop has got near these figures.
Beiwacht’s win was one length better than The Autumn Sun (Redoute's Choice), who is the highest rated winner of the 3-year-old feature since he won it in 2018. So where has this performance come from?
Firstly, the track was not a Good 4 as advertised. All the good track judges I know said either Good 3 or Firm 2. Most of us had the track rated between 2.5 and 3.2, which basically means on the quick side or quicker than a Good 3 but perhaps not quite a genuine Firm 2.
What does give Beiwacht some credit is the margin. Had he won by a neck with these times then we could award the tremendous performance almost solely to the track curator. However, Chris Waller’s colt pummelled them by four lengths and we cannot detract too much from this stellar performance despite criticisms of the track rating.
The media is talking G1 The Everest for this colt, but why not the G1 Caulfield Guineas? Beiwacht clocked the fastest last 200 metres of the Golden Rose. Nothing was catching him. Another 200 metres? The clock says he wins by further.
Marhoona back with Heritage win
G1 Golden Slipper Stakes-winning filly Marhoona (Snitzel) returned a winner in the Listed Heritage Stakes. This was the perfect race shape to build off with the first 500 metres almost four lengths below standard, before Michael Freedman’s girl turned the after burners on clocking her last 400 metres in 22.04s, which is almost six lengths above standard for this grade.
She was entitled to finish strongly, given her settling position in a moderately run race but off this tempo she was never going to win by a big margin. The fact she could accelerate this well with 58kg is a positive sign.
Runner-up Akaysha got 4kg off Marhoona but had the pace been quicker, she possibly wins this. She clocked the fastest 400 metres to 200 metres split of the day and is up to this grade but the key is finding races where she gets weight off the higher profile gallopers.
Manaal toughs it out in Golden Pendant
Manaal (Tassort) is going great. Her G2 Golden Pendant win was tough albeit rated just fairly. She was below standard overall and her last 200 metres ranked only 39th for the day. She carried 58kg and only one mare since the race became the Golden Pendant has carried more weight and won. Her name, More Joyous (NZ) (More Than Ready {USA}).
Even during her 3-year-old season, we saw how weight could steady this girl’s ratings. No doubt they’re looking at fillies and mares races, but I’d love to see her down the straight back a fraction in weight.
Lightweight Piggyback looms as metropolitan contender
Piggyback (Trapeze Artist) got herself into the G1 Metropolitan Handicap by winning the G3 Colin Stephen Handicap. It's amazing to think she won a BM72 first-up in May this prep on a Heavy 10 track and continued to improve. The rating she produced on Saturday was nothing flash, but it was the perfect race shape to back-up out of.
We know she has a number in her from her previous two runs before the Colin Stephen and now she drops to 50kg. Genuine chance.
Pride Of Jenni too strong in Feehan Stakes
Down in Melbourne, things kicked off at Moonee Valley on Friday night with Treasurethe Moment (Alabama Express) going down to Pride Of Jenni (Pride Of Dubai) in the G2 Feehan Stakes. The mile around The Valley is Jenni’s go. And she’s proving to be at her best when fresh nowadays.
Her trainer Ciaron Maher told me when she was much younger that she appreciated time between runs.
The Feehan rated okay. Jenni went three lengths above standard through the first 1000 metres, but came home two lengths below, meaning the race rated one length above G2 standard. That doesn’t augur well for Treasurethe Moment, who smashed Group 1 standard time when resuming in the G1 Memsie Stakes last month.
Charm Stone brilliant first-up in Manikato Stakes
Charm Stone (I Am Invincible) was great first-up winning the G1 Manikato Stakes. She gave standard seven lengths at the halfway mark and wore it down on the line. It was impossible for Lady Shenandoah (Snitzel) to win from where she settled. The pace was too slow. Be wary about putting the pen through her in the Everest.
Ferivia claims Thousand Guineas Prelude
Ferivia (Astern) won the G2 Thousand Guineas Prelude at Sandown on Saturday but the race was fair at best. Handed a fast tempo to clock solid overall time, she could only come in at standard time - and surely something beats this formline into the big one during the Caulfield carnival?
Autumn Glow (The Autumn Sun) drew gate 14, the outside of Saturday’s G1 Epsom Handicap field. Don’t let it worry you, though, if you’re on her; eight Epsom winners have jumped from a double-digit barrier since 2013.
