3 minute read
The Sydney autumn carnival wraps up at Randwick on Saturday with the meeting boasting two strong sprint events at the end of the program.
The first of course is the Group 1 All Aged Stakes (1400m) which at this point sees Pierata, Santa Ana Lane and Bivouac vying for favouritism.
Each of them come out of the TJ Smith Stakes (1200m) won by Nature Strip with Santa Ana Lane finishing second, Pierata fourth and Bivouac running sixth.
Bivouac on Saturday is capable of turning the tables on both his perceived main rivals and claiming his third Group 1.
The son of Exceed And Excel endured a forgettable day out in the TJ Smith Stakes.
The colt was slow into stride and forced to settle well back in the field. Ridden for luck in the straight, the James Cummings-trained colt made late ground and clocked the fastest final 800m for the race.
Bivouac performs best when able to settle prominent, as evidenced when winning both the Golden Rose during the spring and the Newmarket Handicap three starts back.
Ideally from barrier 4, Hugh Bowman should land the colt in behind likely leaders Dreamforce and White Moss.
Furthermore, three-year-olds boast a superb record in the All Aged Stakes having claimed four of the last eight renewals.
Previous three-year-old All Aged Stakes winners from this time period include Atlantic Jewel (2012), All Too Hard (2013), English (2016) and Trapeze Artist (2018).
If able to replicate anything close to the figure he produced in winning the Newmarket Handicap three starts ago, Bivouac on Saturday can join this list of talented three-year-olds to have won the All Aged Stakes.
Another positive lead for those interested in backing Bivouac comes in the Group 3 Hall Mark Stakes (1200m).
James Cummings saddles up three runners in the event, Trekking, Kementari and Deprive.
Each of these three five-year-olds would not look out of place contesting the All Aged Stakes yet instead, the stable have elected to go one out so to speak with Bivouac.
Off what they have produced so far this prep, Kementari is the pick of their trio.
Kementari returned to the races as a gelding following a failed stud career and lengthy spell in the Group 3 Star Kingdom Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill.
It was a highly encouraging display by the son of Lonhro who settled midfield on the fence and stuck to his task well, beaten .6 of a length behind Vegadaze who he was giving fitness and 5.5kg to.
The Group 1 winner would have been in dire need of that outing and will no doubt derive good fitness from the run.
He boasts a good second up record and his best career win to date came at this course when claiming the 2018 Randwick Guineas (1600m) ahead of Pierata and Trapeze Artist.
Kementari at his best is a genuine Group 1 weight-for-age horse with placings in the 2018 George Ryder Stakes (1500m), 2018 Manikato Stakes (1200m), 2018 Memsie Stakes (1400m) and the 2019 C.F Orr Stakes (1400m).
The five-year-old showed first up in the Star Kingdom Stakes he has returned in good order and like the Star Kingdom Stakes, Saturday's Hall Mark Stakes (1200m) while a strong Group 3, is still a far cry from Group 1 weight-for-age level.
Sydney Specials: Randwick – April 18
Best Of The Day 1: R7; #11 Bivouac @ $5.00
Best Of The Day 2: R8; #2 Kementari @ $4.20
