Bivouac shows fighting spirit as Hugh Bowman secures fifth win in Golden Rose
Godolphin colt Bivouac was there to be beaten in the Golden Rose, but the classy three-year-old and jockey Hugh Bowman were not going to be denied in a thrilling finish in the $1m sprint.
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Bivouac, Yes Yes Yes and Exceedance, the glamour colts, straining nerve and sinew in a classic finish.
Godolphin’s Bivouac was there to be beaten. It seemed Yes Yes Yes might have edged to the front inside the 200m and Exceedance was making his surge wide out.
But Bivouac and jockey Hugh Bowman were not going to be denied and found a way to win the Group 1 $1 million Golden Rose (1400m) at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.
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Bowman, under an injury cloud for two weeks after breaking the little finger in his right hand in a trackwork incident, told trainer James Cummings earlier in the week he would be fit to ride Bivouac.
The champion jockey was not going to miss an opportunity to win a record fifth Golden Rose. He had faith in Bivouac and Cummings had faith in his rider.
“It’s been an emotional couple of weeks and even more emotional now,’’ Bowman said.
WHAT A BREATHTAKING FINISH! Brilliant Bivouac makes it five Golden Rose victories for @HugeBowman! @JamesCummings88 @godolphin have a serious horse on their hands... @rosehillgardens pic.twitter.com/yaqekFpEAJ
— Sky Racing (@SkyRacingAU) September 28, 2019
“But once I made the commitment to ride him, I knew I would be right and the horse has delivered for us all.”
Cummings said he trusted Bowman’s professionalism to make the right call on his fitness.
“I’ve got to give credit to Hugh to win this after breaking his finger only two weeks ago,’’ Cummings said.
“But when Josh Parr got off Bivouac after winning the Run To The Rose two weeks ago he said “I don’t know what’s wrong with Hugh Bowman, I’d ride him with a broken leg’.’’
Bowman certainly played his part, lifting Bivouac ($2.50 favourite) to a short neck win over Yes Yes Yes ($4.20) with Exceedance ($4.80) a half length away third. Early leader Yao Dash held on for a brave fourth.
Bivouac ran a new Golden Rose race record time of 1m 21.88s to give Bowman another win in the three-year-old classic after his previous successes on In Top Swing (2003), Doonan (2004), Duporth (2008) and Hallowed Crown (2014).
“He’s a lovely colt, his win at Caulfield first-up put the writing on the wall, things didn’t go our way second-up, but blinkers off and the way Josh [Parr] handled him last start told me he had continued to develop and progress through his preparation,’’ Bowman said.
“He makes his own luck and the race set up well for us. That’s the beauty of horses like this, they make their own luck.
“There was plenty of quality in the stock behind him, but they’ve got to really lift to beat a horse like this. He thoroughly deserved it, he’s a Group 1 winning colt now and he’s still got plenty more in store I can assure you.”
Cummings said Bivouac’s preparation had been “just perfection” leading into the Golden Rose.
“I’m incredibly proud of the whole unit to be able to produce Bivouac in that form today ... what a horse,’’ Cummings said.
“To see Bivouac striding into his sprint at the top of the straight was poetry in motion. He’s a rare horse to have in our care, and an absolute pleasure to have in the stable.”
Cummings didn’t dodge inevitable questions about whether Bivouac could be selected in Godolphin’s slot for the $14 million The TAB Everest (1200m) at Royal Randwick on October 19.
“I think races like the Coolmore are on the table, the Caulfield Guineas is worth consideration but he’s probably just too brilliant for that race so, yes, the Everest is an option,’’ Cummings said. “I’ve had jockeys willing to ride him at 53kgs telling me all week he can’t get beaten in the race (Everest).
“There are plenty of options for us on the table - we are in a very commanding position with a horse like him and we’ve got a very important two weeks ahead to decide exactly what we do pay up for in The Everest.’’
Coolmore’s Tom Magnier did rule out an Everest start for Yes Yes Yes, confirming Irish sprinter Ten Sovereigns will be there runner in the world’s richest turf race.
“Yes Yes Yes has run a super race and we will see how the horse pulls up before making a call on where he goes to next but we are not going to run him in The Everest,’’ Magnier said.
“If Ten Sovereigns travels out well and the ground is good we will run him.’’
Nash Rawiller, rider of Yes Yes Yes, admitted his colt had his chance to win but Bivouac was just too good.
“I don’t think you’d ride a better race than that and get beaten,’’ Rawiller said.
“I tried to put it to Hugh and just see if I could crack Bivouac late but he was just too good. But it was a two-horse war the last furlong and very proud of what my bloke was able to do.”
Exceedance’s jockey Tommy Berry said Bivouac and Yes Yes Yes sprinted too well for his colt at the top of the straight.
“It took him a good 100m but you see at the furlong he changes legs, attacks the line well,’’ Berry said. “He’s going to be a better horse next ‘prep’, he’s still learning what it’s all about so he definitely wasn’t disappointing.”
TAB BETTING REVIEW
ROSEHILL GARDENS
RACE ONE
Dr Drill defied the betting drift to take out the Monstar Foundation Handicap (1900 metres). The Ciaron Maher & David Eustace runner was $4.80-$6.50 on the day and actually opened $3.80 equal fav on Wednesday. Robbie Dolan stuck to the inside and came a few horses off the fence in the straight to beat the leader Rapido Chaparro ($4.40) which drifted off rounding the home turn. Humboldt Current, the $3.20 favourite, grabbed third. He was easily the most popular horse in terms of money held.
BETS: Humboldt Current $4,000 @ $3.20, $2,000 @ $3.20
RACE TWO
The move for But I Know paid juicy dividends after she stormed home to win the TAB Highway Class 2 Handicap (1500 metres). As much as $26 was available for But I Know when the market opened on Wednesday with $19 still on offer this morning. Constant specking throughout the afternoon saw the Ross Stitt-trained runner jump a $12 chance. Finishing powerfully down the outside with Andrew Adkins in the saddle, one of the best movers all day won easily over Storm Attack ($7.50) and Harbouring ($6.50). The second and third horses were two of the more popular horses in the race alongside Moss The Boss ($7-$5.50) and Lolita Gold ($8).
BETS: But I Know $500 @ $13, $500 @ $12
RACE THREE
There was a push to suggest that Standout would run a good race in the Schweppes Heritage Stakes (1100 metres). The Gerald Ryan-trained runner had good specking and firmed from a high of $17 at around lunchtime to start at $13. Bursting through a gap early in the straight, Tommy Berry got the best out of the son of Exceed And Excel to knock off the very popular Cosmic Force ($2.90). Pandemic ($3.50-$3.30-$3.60) ran on strongly once clear to grab third.
Cosmic Force was responsible for half the total investment and held 10 times as much money as the winner.
BETS: Standout $500 @ $13, $300 @ $13, Cosmic Force $5,000 @ $3, $1,500 @ $3 MULTIPLE TIMES, $1,000 @ $3 MULTIPLE TIMES, $5,000 @ $2.90, $3,000 @ $2.80
RACE FOUR
One of the best supported runners all day was Gem Song in the Tooheys 150th Birthday Shannon Stakes (1500 metres). The Kris Lees runner was $2.30 into $2 at one point before getting back out to $2.30 at the jump. He was responsible for 65 per cent of the total investment. Forced to sit outside the leader for the majority of the trip, Gem Song couldn’t hold out the finish of Mister Sea Wolf ($14-$9.50-$10) which had each way support and railed hard along the fence. Tom Melbourne ($11) ran his usual honest race for third after leading.
BETS: Mister Sea Wolf $1,000 @ $12, $1,000 @ $9.50, Gem Song $4,000 @ $2.30, $2,000 @ $2.30, $2,000 @ $2.25, $2,000 @ $2.20, $4,000 @ $2.15, $4,500 @ $2.10, $5,000 @ $2
RACE FIVE
Enticing Star let favourite backers down in the TAB Golden Pendant (1400 metres). The mare was very popular at the $2.50 and was five times as popular as anything else after commanding nearly 60 per cent of the money. After settling near the rear and being pulled out to make her run, the Chris Waller mare failed to pick up and never gave her backers a sight. It was left to Mizzy ($6) to lead throughout for Tommy Berry and the in-form Anthony Cummings. Champagne Cuddles ($4.40-$5-$4.40) was the subject of a few moves after opening at $5 during the week. She ran on to finish second just in front of Dyslexic ($7) which was popular with each way backers.
BETS: Mizzy $1,000 @ $5.50, $1,000 @ $5.50, Enticing Star $5,000 @ $2.50, $4,000 @ $2.40, $2,000 @ $2.40
RACE SIX
Stampede landed some nice bets in the JRA Colin Stephen Quality (2400 metres). Taken straight to the front by Adam Hyeronimus, Stampede ($4.40-$4.60) gave nothing else a chance as it raced clear to safely hold Master Or Arts ($14-$7) which halved its quote from the morning. Maurus ($31) wound up in front of the favourite Dabiyr ($2.10-$2.70) which performed up to market expectations after drifting throughout the afternoon. While Dabiyr was disappointing the same could be said for second elect Gayatri ($3.60) which carried heavily investment too.
BETS: Stampede $1,000 @ $4.60, Dabiyr $9,000 @ $2.70, $2,500 @ $2.70, Gayatri $3,700 @ $3.60, $2,000 @ $3.60, $1,000 @ $3.60
RACE SEVEN
The most popular horse in the De Bortoli Wines Golden Rose (1400 metres) proved to be the punters pal in the Group One. Bivouac was the most popular horse ever since Final Field betting commenced earlier in the week. He was $3.20 at that point. Holding more than double the amount of money than any other runner, Bivouac commanded 40 per cent of the total investment. Doing all the work outside the leader, Bivouac hit the front midway down the straight but Hugh Bowman had to throw everything at him to hold off the well-tried Yes Yes Yes ($5.50-$4.40). Exceedance ($4-$4.60) was a late closing third. Of the others, Castelvecchio attracted good each way support after hovering around the $9.50-$10 mark for most of the day.
BETS: Bivouac $4,700 @ $2.60, $4,000 @ $2.60, $3,850 @ $2.60, $4,000 @ $2.50 TWICE, $3,500 @ $2.50, Yes Yes Yes $5,000 @ $4.40, $2,000 @ $4.40, Exceedance $5,000 @ $4
RACE EIGHT
Shadow Hero landed several big bets in racing away with the Antler Gloaming Stakes (1800 metres). The Mark Newnham runner was the best tried in the Group 3 and after opening at $3.50 this morning, got in to as low as $2.90 just minutes before the start of the race. Put back in the second half of the field by Josh Parr, Shadow Hero ($3.20 eq fav) was pulled four or five horses wide and into the clear on the turn and sprinted sharply to race clear. Subedar ($6.50-$9) got out midway down the straight and found the line nicely for second in front of Quick Thinker ($3.90-$4.20). Shadow Hero was easily the best supported runner and held 35 per cent of the total investment. Next most popular was Quick Thinker ahead of Just Thinkin ($3.20 eq fav) and Subedar.
BETS: Shadow Hero $3,000 @ $3.20 TWICE, $2,000 @ $3.20, $2,500 @ $3
RACE NINE
Ranier was a losing result for TAB after going around at each way odds in the Sydney’s West Handicap (1400 metres). The James Cummings-trained runner was pretty solid at around the $6.50 for most of the day and aided by a beaut ride by James McDonald, finished too strong for his rivals at the finish. Mushaireb ($19), which had specking at the big price, rattled home for second in front of the leader You Make Me Smile ($11). Amangiri, the very popular $3.90 second pick, wound up fourth and held twice as much money as the winner. Of the others, there was a sensational late betting move for Irukandji which went $5-$3.80 fav in the final minutes before the jump.
BETS: Ranier $2,500 @ $7, Amangiri $2,000 @ $3.80, $1,000 @ $3.70, $5,500 @ $3.50, $2,500 @ $3.70, $2,000 @ $3.70, Irukandji $5,000 @ $5, $4,000 @ $3.80