First G1 of the Melbourne spring for Bivouac star

The Bivouac four-year-old Beiwacht has dominated the opening G1 of the Melbourne spring, winning the Memsie Stakes at Caulfield on Saturday, August 29, in withering style.

Breaking fast to take the earliest lead, Beiwacht controlled the field from the front and, at the 200-metre mark, ran away from a field of G1 performers with a three-length victory over the 1400 metres.

The winning time was 1:23.81.

Labelled a ‘procession’, the victory was expertly ridden by jockey Nash Rawiller, with trainer Chris Waller saying the horse was in the zone.

Beiwacht joined the trainer’s yard last year after starting his career with former Godolphin trainer James Cummings.

“He has really fitted into our system, and saddling him up today he’s just a delight to work with,” Waller said. 

“He’s really focused, and it sounds like I’m talking about a person, but he really is. He’s concentrating on his racing.”

Beiwacht is now a three-time winner in 1400-metre G1s, with a record that already includes the Golden Rose, won by his sire, and the All-Aged Stakes, as well as the G2 Silver Stakes as a two-year-old.

His career earnings sit at $2.5 million across four wins and 14 starts.

“There will be more good races in store for him,” Waller said, with Saturday’s race delivering a second Memsie Stakes to the Hall of Fame trainer.

“We said last year we were keen to take him internationally, but he’s not a real straight horse. He’s a specialist 1400-metre type horse, so there are some international thoughts there.” 

Rider Nash Rawiller said after hoping all week the horse would deliver a result like this, it was a dream come true to actually ride it.

“He’s always been a lovely colt and an entire as a four-year-old, but he just went to a new level today,” the jockey said.

“He just had them cold. It was exciting.”

Beiwacht has cemented his credentials as the top performer for Darley sire Bivouac, whose distinguished career netted dazzling victories in the Golden Rose, VRC Sprint Classic and Newmarket Handicap.

He is also the sire of this year’s G1 Queensland Derby winner, Fireball Miss.

From 120 Australian runners to date, Bivouac is the sire of 51 winners that include the G2 victor Intention and G3 winners Big Sky, Cellarmaster and Cavalry Girl.

Bivouac’s run of form has not gone unnoticed, with Australasian yearlings selling to $300,000. 

He is standing the Australian breeding season at Kelvinside at a fee of $33,000 incl. GST.