Dual Group 1 winner Bivouac could book a slot in the 2020 The Everest if he can collect another Group 1 win in the $500,000 William Reid Stakes at the Valley on Friday night.
Bivouac will start the 2020 William Reid Stakes as a clear favourite. Photo by: Ultimate Racing Photos
Godolphin Australia managing director Vin Cox said that at the moment Bivouac was the number one contender for Godolphin’s slot in the $15 The Everest (1200m) at Randwick on October 17.
“Our intent is, that fortunately we have a slot in The Everest, and he is one of many good sprinters we have got. He looks the most dynamic of them all, so we’d really like to take aim at The Everest with him,” Godolphin Australia managing director Vin Cox told racing.com.
“That takes him to the spring and precludes him from retiring to stud this year. And then onto the autumn next year, Melbourne/Sydney and all being well … we potentially would like to take him overseas, to the Northern Hemisphere and hopefully giving him the opportunity to win terrific races in the Northern Hemisphere.
“That would then create some value and interest in the horse from the Northern Hemisphere breeders and therefore become a reverse shuttle like his father Exceed And Excel.”
Bivouac was the winner of the Group 1 $1m De Bortoli Wines Golden Rose (1400m) at Rosehill during the 2019 Sydney Spring Carnival and collected his second Group 1 win with a stunning two and a half lengths victory in the $1.5m Seppelt Wines Newmarket Handicap (1200m) down the Flemington straight on March 7.
“It’s one of the elite races on the program during the year and to win it the way he did … he was dominant, and it was exhilarating to watch,” Cox said.
“It sets him up very, very well going forward as a stallion prospect.”
Bivouac is one of 18 nominations for the William Reid Stakes and the James Cummings trained three year old has been installed as the early $2.50 favourite at Ladbrokes.com.au.
The Team Hawkes trained Exceedance finished four and three quarter lengths behind Bivouac when sixth in the Newmarket Handicap and is sharing the second line of betting at $5 with Ciaron Maher and David Eustace’s smart filly Loving Gaby, while Chris Waller’s speed machine Nature Strip is next in the betting at $7.
Early betting for the 2020 William Reid Stakes at Ladbrokes.com.au: $2.50 Bivouac, $5 Exceedance, Loving Gaby, $7 Nature Strip, $11 Gytrash, Scales Of Justice, $13 Mystic Journey, Rubisaki, $17 Vital Silver, Zouton, $26 Embrace Me, $34 Rock Magic, $51 Bons Away, Faatinah, Miss Leonidas, Tofane, $201 Fleet Review.
