Godolphin Homebred Bivouac Dominant in Sprint Classic

Glen Boss believes that Bivouac may be as good as any colt he has been associated with during his long career after the 4-year-old produced the best win of his career Nov. 7, taking the aptly-named Darley Sprint Classic (G1) by more than three lengths in a breathtaking display and putting international targets firmly on the radar.

Boss has now had three rides on the James Cummings-trained Bivouac for two wins, having also been aboard when he bounded away to win the Newmarket Handicap (G1) in March. 

After the Godolphin homebred exploded clear to defeat reigning Australian Horse of the Year Nature Strip and classy mare Libertini, Boss—who rode his 88th group 1 winner—suggested he belonged in that elite group of colts he has ridden.

"I'm very privileged to be sitting on this very good colt. Everyone knows how many good colts I've been associated with in my career and this one is right up there with them, I'll tell you. He's a very special animal," he said. 

"Every group 1 is sweet, but when I get on these colts, it makes it even better. It's something I love to do. I've ridden some of the best colts in Australia over the last 20 years; even going back through Snitzel and Fastnet Rock, they're all at stud and they're the best ones.

"He's got form around Yes Yes Yes who is arguably one of the best colts I've ever ridden in my life. They've got the form. He's beaten Yes Yes Yes and those types of horses. He's a dominant colt. He's got everything that good colts have.

"He's just a very unique animal. He's got a great demeanor, he takes everything in his stride. He's such an athlete. You don't see them win a Newmarket and a Darley Classic like that. They're good horses. There's a Horse of the Year right beside him and he went straight past and said, 'See you later, boys'.

"I'm getting towards the pointy end of my career, but to be here at Flemington and win a race over the four days, is extraordinary."

It was a title that Bivouac could rightly claim after his runner-up finish in The Everest and, after Saturday's performance, he is likely to challenge Classique Legend for the world's best sprinter title in this year's World's Best Racehorse Rankings.

"He was the best horse in the race with the best form at the moment," Boss said. "He was in a high-rating Everest—it was an outstanding Everest this year—and then he's come here third-up with the right form. It was hard to ignore him, really.

"When you see them winning Newmarkets like he did, it is very hard to ignore that sort of form and you know he's got everything that is lined up for him. 

"You can look back through his stats, he's got great form all the way and when he's got beaten, there's been excuses, it hasn't been his day, but when it goes together, he can beat world class horses.

"They're good horses and he made them look like handicappers."

Godolphin chief Vin Cox said that it was likely that Bivouac would join his sire Exceed And Excel on the Darley roster in 2021, but that international targets like the Al Quoz Sprint (G1) in Dubai and the Diamond Jubilee Stakes (G1) at Royal Ascot could be on the horizon, particularly now that he is building a handy record down the Flemington straight.

"He's a 4-year-old now, the intent all along was to probably retire him next year and, standing here today, that is probably our ambition," Cox said. "There's every chance he might end up in the northern hemisphere at Royal Ascot. Obviously, he likes the straight course and they've got some nice sprints down the straight there.

"It adds another string to his bow as a stallion proposition if he can win a group 1 race in the Northern Hemisphere. It allows that opportunity to stand him up there and to expose his talents."

Three-time group 1 winner Bivouac, who also took the De Bortoli Wines Golden Rose Stakes (G1) last September, has now won seven of his 19 starts and has earned AU$5,567,860.

'Arcadia' the Mackinnon Queen

It may have taken time for Arcadia Queen to find her best this spring, but the Perth visitor saved her best for last with an emphatic victory in the Seppelt Mackinnon Stakes (G1) at Flemington.

Partnered by Luke Currie with regular rider William Pike in quarantine in Western Australia ahead of the Perth carnival, Arcadia Queen swept home as favorite to defeat TAB Australian Cup (G1) hero Fifty Stars with 12-time group 1 winner Melody Belle third.

Trained by Grant and Alana Williams for prominent Perth owner Bob Peters, Arcadia Queen scored her second group 1 of the spring and her third in total. 

It looked unlikely that she would find her best this spring after she was beaten in her first three runs.

"We had some issues but credit to the horse, she just keeps pushing on," Grant Williams said. "It's a great way to cap it off. After the year she has had, to win two group 1s here; if you'd said that we could have two group 1s, we'd take that every day."

Arcadia Queen took her record to eight wins from 15 starts with prize-money of AU$3,901,035. 

Professional Aegon Remains Unbeaten

It may not have been pretty or flashy, but Aegon's tough, determined, and professional victory in the Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand Two Thousand Guineas (G1)—emulating the success of his sire Sacred Falls—stamped the gelding as one of the most exciting 3-year-olds on either side of the Tasman.

The Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman-trained Aegon triumphed by a nose, the smallest winning margin since his own sire's head success in 2012.

Ridden by Leith Innes, Aegon shaped like a 60-start veteran rather than an inexperienced gelding with only two starts under his belt, having won a Taupo maiden over 1,300 metres in August, before flashing home to take out the Hawke's Bay Guineas last month.

In a messy race from the get-go, the pace steadied twice early as Embers and then Need I Say More dropped anchor out in front. 

Most runners showed some sign of the slackened tempo: tossing their heads about, dropping the bit, proving difficult to restrain. Perhaps that is what made Aegon stand out early as, despite his position near the rear, he took it all in his stride, unfazed and relaxed.

Ridden up to maintain his position approaching the dog-leg turn at the top of the long Riccarton straight, he was short of room and surrounded by horses with few options to get into the clear. It was made worse as Bourbonaire was forced onto Aegon by a weakening Zoltan, creating a momentum-halting scrimmage that would have stopped many horses.

Both Aegon and Bourbonaire were all heart, though, as they came clear to fight out the finish. Nose for nose, stride for stride they battled on and, as they hit the line, Forsman—who shares in the ownership with the Zame family—was unsure which way the photo had gone.

"I didn't know whether he had won or not, so it's just starting to sink in," he said. "They were going so slowly in front and he was in a tricky spot so I was worried but Leith had a lot of confidence in him.

"It's pretty special and really hasn't hit home yet but I'm just rapt to race the horse with a great bunch of people. It's been a great ride the whole way through."

A nose separated Aegon and Bourbonaire, with Marine 1 1/4 lengths away in third.

For Innes, it was a special victory as he had also partnered Sacred Falls throughout his New Zealand career, before he joined Chris Waller in Sydney. That included Sacred Falls' Guineas success.

"I thought he had his head down at the right time but he carries his head low anyway so that probably helped him," Innes said.

"It's just amazing that eight years ago I won the race on Sacred Falls and today I could do it on a horse that is pretty similar in nature. They both aren't very big but they put in 100% and they know where the line is."

Aegon is the first group 1 winner for Sacred Falls, who served five seasons at Waikato Stud before his untimely death last year. 

Aegon, who is likely to target the Australian Guineas (G1) or the Randwick Guineas (G1) in the autumn, took his earnings to NZ$329,400.